Castle: Not what you think
by devildog3479
Summary: A new case leads to someone close to the team as a person of interest for the murder, and a team member being sideline for a bit of the case. Meanwhile Kate is ordered to bed rest and must content with her mother in law, father, and her best friend trying to follow the doctors and her husband's instructions while Kate's mind wonders to the case and her precinct.
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is my new Castle story. I will be working on this, my historical fiction and my other TV series fanfiction at the same time. I will be busy but I can do it. I hope you enjoy this one. Last real time of pregnacny before we jump to a couple days before baby Castle is do. Hope you enjoy and please leave reviews or comments.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Castle series or the characters. This story is based solely on the entertainment of the readers.**

 **Castle: Not what you think**

 **Upper West Side**

 **Manhattan, New York**

The cold air did not help the teenager who was struggling under the weight of the trash bag over her shoulder. She cursed her father forcing her to do this just before she had to go school. It took her a half-hour to pick out the outfit that she was wearing. She was hoping that a boy in her science class would notice, and ask her out. Now she would have to go shower again and change outfits, and more than likely be late for school.

"Stupid Natalie will probably be pawing all over Brandon by the time I get there." The girl said to herself as approached the dumpster. She set one hand on the dumpster and threw the trash away. She gave a disgusted sigh as she realized that she had set her hand on something wet. She wiped her hands together to spread the moisture. She then noticed the smug on her shirt then she looked at her hands. She screamed.

 **Dr. Snyder's Office**

 **Midtown**

Kate Beckett and Richard Castle were waiting for the doctor to come in to tell them the latest update on their baby boy and her lab work and blood pressure. Prior to leaving last week's appointment Dr. Snyder wanted to see Kate again in a week to check on her blood pressure again. Kate had literally paced in the waiting room prior to them being called back. Rick could tell his wife was anxious. "Relax babe, I'm sure it will be fine."

Kate smiled at her husband, but she still was nervous. "I just haven't been feeling well the past week babe."

"Well you had a conference you had to attend, plus we had that charity event, and you had to testify in court on Friday." Castle told her taking her hand and coming closer. He kissed her head and stroked her hair hoping to calm her down. "You have been really busy."

Dr. Snyder opened the door and walked in. He smiled at Kate and Rick before sitting down in the chair. He opened the folder up. "Kate we have your lab results back. You have elevated proteins and glucose levels in your work. Plus your blood pressure is still higher than we would like. Have you been trying to stay stress free?"

"I have tried doc, but I still have responsibilities to my precinct and the people, along with other commitments, like the charity event we attended." Kate told him. She saw the look of Dr. Snyder who gave her a disapproving look. "It hasn't been overly stressful."

"I am not talking just mental stress, but stress on your body too Kate." Dr. Snyder said to Kate and Rick. He took a deep breath. "I need to see you back at the end of the week, but for now I am putting you on three days bed rest. That means no computer, no work, just relaxing and lots of water and non-caffeinated drinks."

"Doc come on, I'm a captain. I have meetings to go to, critical paperwork to sign, warrants to review…." Kate started to argue back.

"Kate if your condition doesn't improve, you could risk serious health risk to you and the baby." Dr. Snyder said to her.

That was enough for Castle. "I got it doc, don't worry. She will be stress free by Friday."

Kate tossed a look to her husband, but heard Dr. Snyder chuckle. "Okay Rick. I am counting on you to make sure of this."

"Don't worry, I have the right people in mind." Castle replied with a smile on his face as Dr. Snyder handed him the paperwork to get submitted to 1PP and Kate's second in command at the precinct. As soon as the door closed he saw his wife's look. "Look, you heard what he said, and it's only for 3 days. Meyers can handle the precinct, plus I don't want anything to happen to you or little Cosmo."

Kate tried still to be angry but she couldn't and busted out a small smile. "I am not calling our son Cosmo."

"It's on the list." Castle replied referring to the list of names they started and had hidden in the bedside table.

"At the bottom babe." Kate answered with a sad smile. She stuck out her hand and Castle helped her up. "Okay but who would you get? Your mom has a class and then a pre-opening night dinner, and my dad has trial prep."

"Which they will push if it meant making sure you are following doctor's orders, but I do have one more person in mind." Castle said as he put the paper in his coat pocket. He smiled as he pulled out his cell phone and hit the button. "Lanie, you got 3 days coming to you?"

"Castle no." Kate said as she reached for the phone, but Castle turned away as he explained the situation to her best friend.

"Perfect, she'll see you at the loft." Castle answered and he ended the call. He looked at his wife who was shocked. "Lanie is my enforcer."

"Enforcer is the word alright." Kate said dejected as she stood up and opened the door.

"Kate come on, it will fly by, plus you said you been wanting to get caught up on your reading." Castle said to the back of his wife. His phone rang and he looked at the id. "Russell, I can't today, Kate…"

"Babe, go. I know how to get home, and trust me Lanie will have Ryan trace my phone to make sure I do." Kate told him with a stern look on her face. She really wasn't mad at him, but more at the fact she was confined at home. "Go, before you spend the next 3 days in the spare room."

"I'll meet you there after I put her in a cab." Castle said with a smile on his face. He saw Kate roll her eyes. He ended the call and walked up and put his arms around her shoulders. "Come on. I'll call mother from downstairs."

 **Upper West Side**

 **Manhattan, New York**

Castle walked towards the crime scene tape where Russell was waiting for him. They literally arrived just a couple minutes apart from each other. Russell handed him a coffee from the local shop and he had a disgusted look on his face. "Oh. You are off coffee detail."

"Its herbal coffee. Supposed to be better for you." Russell remarked with a smirk on her face as they ducked under the tape. "Figured you be trying new things with the Captain."

"Nope, and I'm on a short leash with her right now." Castle answered the statement as they neared the scene. Castle saw a CSU with a trash bag for regular trash pitched his cup away. "She is on bedrest for the next 3 days with high blood pressure and elevated readings in her lab work."

"I'm sorry Castle." Russell remarked as they arrived as Doctor Pearlmutter waited for his team to unload the body from the dumpster. Ryan and Esposito were there waiting on them.

"How's the Captain, Castle?" Ryan asked.

"3 days on bed rest." Castle told them. He explained what the doctor told them.

Ryan patted Castle on shoulder. "Oh I'm sorry Castle. Jenny went through that with Sarah Grace."

Esposito nodded and did the same. "Tell her we are thinking of her."

"If you are done discussing Mr. Castle and Captain Beckett's spawn, we have a dead body here." Pearlmutter said to the team.

They sighed but Russell busted out her notebook. "Tell us what you have Doctor…."

"Pearlmutter. 28 year old white female. Shot twice in the chest. No exit wounds so the slugs are still in the body. Liver temp indicates the victim has been dead for at least 3 hours." Pearlmutter said to the team who began to take notes. He handed over to Ryan a baggie containing a wallet. "We found this in the victim's pocket."

"Rachel Maddows, lives at 2234 West 83rd Street." Ryan remarked as he looked at the ID.

Russell looked Ryan. "That address sounds familiar."

Esposito was in confusion but ignored it. "Canvass failed to turn up any witnesses so far, but a couple of people did hear a vehicle tear out of here, and according to them, that wasn't so uncommon."

A CSU tech walked over to Russell handing her another evidence bag. "Victims purse was inside the dumpster."

"Thanks. So robbery wasn't a motive, because who passes up a fully loaded wallet, and a Sergio Rossi Purse." Russell stated as she began to pass over the evidence bag back to Ryan. She then looked to Esposito. "Expand the canvass and see if any of these buildings have security cameras."

"Already on it." Esposito answered.

Ryan went whoa as he flipped through the wallet. "Ahh Russell you need to see this."

Russell took the wallet and inside was a picture of their victim and Russell's girlfriend Maria. "That is Maria's former girlfriend. Thought the address sounded familiar."

"How do you know her?" Castle asked.

"We had dinner before Maria and I got together, but we knew each other back at Columbia." Russell stated. She handed back the wallet. "Haven't seen her in a couple years."

Yet before anyone could answer, a call came over the radio. "Any available units 10-52 at 2234 West 83rd Street, unit 345."

"That's her address. Let's go." Russell told her team as the moved quickly towards their cars.

It took about 10 minutes for them to arrive with two patrol cars arriving at the same time. Russell looked on the directory. "Right address lets go."

Everyone nodded as Castle followed. Taking a couple minutes, they found themselves outside the victim's apartment where they heard shouting. They took up positions as Ryan knocked on the door as Russell called out. "NYPD."

But before a reply from inside could be given, a shot rang out and Ryan and Esposito, and two officers barged in clearing the apartment. A second later came shouting for someone to drop the gun. Russell, Castle and the other two officers moved in and towards the living room. There Russell gasped as she saw her girlfriend holding a gun over a man who was laying on the floor bleeding. "Maria, what are you doing here?"

"This scum-sucker got Rachel hooked. I know it." Maria said pointing the gun at the man on the ground.

"Maria we don't want to do this. Please set the gun down and back away." Ryan told her calmly.

Russell inched forward and looked at her. "Please baby for me, please lower the gun and set it on the ground."

Maria looked up and saw the pain in her girlfriend's eyes. She nodded and set the gun down and backed away. Two of the uniforms walked over and cuffed Maria while Ryan and Esposito secured the gun.

Castle walked up and stood next to Russell. "I think this maybe a problem."

Russell didn't answer but turned and followed the uniforms who were escorting Maria out of the apartment.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry about the delay. I had this in the pipe for last night but I fell asleep in front of my computer, and today my kid was sick. I want to thank everyone for the reviews and I hope you enjoy this update. Please keep the reviews coming. Thank you.**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Rick and Kate's Loft**

 **SoHo, New York**

"I can't believe this." Kate said from her and Castle's bedroom in the loft as she made herself comfortable as Lanie, Martha and Jim looked on. "3 days bedrest and my husband is thinking I need 3 babysitters."

"Oh Katie, stressing about this isn't going to do you any good, nor my grandchild." Jim said with a smile on his face as he came around and kissed the top of his daughter's head. "Besides he's being cautious with you. You should find that sweet."

"I do dad, but I don't do good sitting on the sidelines." Kate replied with a pale expression on his face.

"And that my dear Katherine is why he wanted three of us here, to make sure you don't violate the doctor's orders." Martha said with a smile on her face.

Kate smiled at her mother in law. "Still you have better things to than sit here with me. Like a class to run, trial prep, a dead body to carve."

"Oh nonsense my girl. I rather deal with you on bed rest than writer boy if something happens to you if you don't listen to the doctor's instructions." Lanie stated with a smile on her face.

Kate started to open her mouth but was cut off by Martha. "Lanie is right dear. Besides I have some of my fellow cast members observe the students today while I tend to you."

"Plus my son in law has some of the strongest Wi-Fi around." Jim said with a smile on his face. He held up his computer case. "Plus I have a staff at my office and video conferencing. Martha is graciously allowing me use of Rick's office."

"So Kate, why don't you just relax dear, and let us take care of you today." Martha said coming over and patting her daughter in law on the shoulder. "Your father and I will be heading out to get our favorite comfort foods for lunch today and will leave you in Laine's capable hands."

Jim and Martha smiled at Kate before leaving the room and the loft a couple moments later. Lanie sat down on the bed. "You scared?"

"A little bit. I've seen Rick react like that when it comes to me, but now he is being…." Kate started to say.

"Protective?" Lanie asked getting a nod from Kate. She chuckled as she and Kate smiled at each other. She then saw Kate reach down for something. "What are you doing?"

"Getting my computer. I could still do some small stuff." Kate said straight face.

Lanie got up and took the computer away from Kate who tossed her a look. "I saw the paper Kate. No stress, no work, no computer. Don't make me brake your cuffs out on you."

Kate looked at her best friend, then a small smile broke out across Kate's face. Lanie sighed in disgust. "Girl, good on you, but please tell me you at least wiped them off after you guys were done?"

Kate smirked at her "Who says Castle was the one that was handcuffed?"

Lanie was in shock now. "Wow, writer boy had it in him. Good for him."

Kate smiled at her best friend. "Could be the night we convinced this one."

Lanie turned and sighed disgusting again as she left the room. "Too much information girl."

Kate smiled at her friend leaving the room. She heard her phone ring and picked it up and smiled at the name on the screen. "Hey babe, and yes I am behaving."

"Ha." Lanie shouted from the living room.

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"From what I heard of Lanie, that is not the case." Castle said smiling into his phone as he walked through the precinct lobby. He and the rest of the team stopped by the elevator. "Just calling to check up on you."

"I'm fine Rick, I really am." Kate said telling a half truth. She wanted to be at work and maybe providing insight to her team's case. "I just don't like sitting around."

"I know, but look at it like this." Castle said smirking and thanking the heavens his wife couldn't see him right now. "Look at this as practice for when the kid is born."

"I know you are smirking Castle, and you are one strike away from sleeping in the guest room the next couple nights." Kate said laughing into her phone. "Go to work babe. Talk to you later. Love you."

Castle smiled on his end. "Love you too. Bye."

"Ah that is so sweet." Esposito said as they waited for the elevator.

"When we get up there, Esposito and Ryan you should check on the canvass." Russell said to the team who was giving her looks. "Castle and I will talk to Maria."

Castle looked at Ryan and Esposito who gave him the same look. He then turned his attention to Russell. "You can't talk to her."

"Yes I can, she is my girlfriend and I am…" Russell started to say.

"Russell you can't be involved period. She is a person of interest and possible suspect." Esposito said as they held the elevator and let an elderly couple get on it.

"Guys I can be objective and clear headed. I need to talk to her." Russell reiterated to them, just a little louder this time.

"If the DA gets wind of it, its obstruction and tampering with a witness. Her defense attorney could have you fired for the same thing." Ryan said now entering the conversation. "Plus IAB will be all over you and us. That would blow our best chances at finding out anything."

"You know we are right Russell." Castle told her. He placed his hands on his hips. "If you want to help her, get her a lawyer."

"Come on Castle, I know the Captain investigated her mother's murder and your shooting…" Russell again starting to say.

"And it almost killed her those times too." Castle replied. He saw the wheels spinning in her head. "She'll tell you the same thing, but don't even think about it."

"So I do nothing." Russell stated.

"Till you hear from us," Esposito answered. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "It will be fine."

Russell looked around and saw she was outnumbered. Nodding, she turned and left the precinct. She pulled out her cell and dialed the number. "Hey it's me. I need your help."

Castle, Ryan and Esposito proceeded upstairs to the bullpen. Castle grabbed the murder board, while Ryan checked in with the canvass as Esposito updated Lieutenant Meyers. He came back a moment later. "Lt. Meyers has the update."

Castle nodded as Ryan handed him the printouts that were coming from his printer. "OK Rachel Maddows, graduated from Columbia with a degree in Marketing. Any pictures of her, Maria and Russell together?"

"None that I could find." Ryan replied with a smile on his face. He moved towards the board. "Alright some of the statements say they heard a car or van tear down that alley around 4 in the morning."

"Fits right in with the death window." Esposito answered as they sat around the murder board. "Spoke to the hospital, our shooting victim will live. Bullet went through the shoulder. CSU found a nine millimeter lodged in the wall."

"What was the gun that Maria had in the apartment?" Castle asked.

Ryan looked at his notes. "9 millimeter Beretta which is registered to our victim."

"Rachel owns the gun probably for the defense or uses it to muscle on any other dealers." Castle stated as he continued to look at the board.

"We don't really know that she is a drug dealer or even is addicted to drugs." Ryan stated as he smiled at Castle. He turned to Esposito. "Canvass turn up anything?"

"One of the buildings had a security camera facing down the alley. So they are bringing us the security footage." Esposito replied to the question. He moved to the board. "Maria is on the way up to talk to us. I'll talk to her, while Ryan you check with Pearlmutter on the autopsy."

"I will look into Maria's social history on the computer. Something has to be there." Castle said. He saw the looks that Ryan and Esposito were giving him. "Me and Kate are friends with her and Russell on Facebook. Best place to look first."

Esposito pursed his lips. "Alright, but do it from the observation room. Let me know if you find something."

Castle nodded and three of them moved off.

 **Sal's Diner**

 **Midtown, Manhattan**

Russell nervously waited for the person she was meeting. She was so involved with her thoughts and concerns about Maria that she didn't notice a man in suit come in and have the waitress point to her. He walked over and tapped Russell on the shoulder. "Hey there Detective."

Russell stood up and smiled at the man. "Counselor."

The pair smiled and shared a hug. The man set his jacket down and looked at the waitress as she came over. "Coffee, two creams no sugar."

"I'm fine thanks." Russell said as she held her hand over her coffee mug. She waited till the waitress was out of ear shot. "Thanks for meeting me."

The attorney looked over at Russell and smiled. "No problem. What do you need help with Jennifer?"

"Maria's been arrested for assault." Russell stated. She saw the shocked look on the attorney's face. "Yeah. She shot somebody in the shoulder in her ex's girlfriend's apartment."

"What does Rachel say about this?" The attorney asked.

"She can't, she is dead, and Maria's a person of interest in that as well." Russell answered the question. "Maria claimed the man she shot got Rachel hooked, on what I don't know."

"Jennifer, I'm touched that you would call me, but I'm business law." The attorney stated as the waitress came over with his coffee. He nodded his thanks. He waited till the waitress was out of ear shot. "Why didn't you call dad? He's the criminal attorney."

"No John. Not after what he called me and Maria." Russell said to her brother. She sipped at her coffee. She looked at him with her sadness in her eyes. "There would be no way he would take this case."

"You don't know that if you don't ask." John said to her. He sighed and took a sip of his coffee. He set the mug down. "He already has paid the price for it. Mom left him, he's living in hotel, and he misses his little girl."

"I'm his only girl." Russell answered her brother's statement with a half-smile. She leaned back in her seat. "I will consider forgiving him when he apologizes to Maria and me."

"Yeah that will be a cold day in hell." John replied with a smirk on his face as he drank his coffee with Russell giving the same smirk at his answer. He like his sister leaned back. He sighed. "Is she being held at your precinct?"

Russell nodded. "Yeah and if I know my team, Esposito is getting ready to interrogate her, Ryan is probably on his way to the morgue, and Castle is checking social media."

"How do you know that?" John asked looking at her with disbelief.

"It's what I would do and what Captain Beckett would do." Russell replied as she finished off her coffee.

John set his mug down and leaned forward. "You have to take this to Captain Beckett Jennifer."

"She is on 3 days bed-rest because of concerns about her pressure and lab work John." Russell answered his statement. She now leaned forward. "I go over there, Castle will get upset with me and I think literally kill me. He's like a lion protecting his pride."

"So he'll be angry for a bit, but she does need to know." John stated.

"I'll think about it." Russell told him. She looked at him and took his hand. "Can you help her baby brother?"

John smiled and nodded. "Yes I will help you sis."

"Thank you." Russell said. She got up and gave her brother a hug. She then smacked him on the shoulder. "By the way you don't know Castle when it comes to his wife."

"I get that the way you punched me." John replied as he rubbed his shoulder. His phone went off and he looked at it. "It's dad. I'll have my staff draw up the paperwork and I'll meet you at the precinct. And do tell Captain Beckett, otherwise if this blows up, you don't want her asking you why she didn't know."

Russell nodded as she gave her brother a hug. "Tell mom hi."

"Tell her yourself. She wants you and Maria over for dinner." John answered as he walked towards the door. He turned around and walked backwards smiling. "You got the coffee right?"

Russell smirked and flipped him off as he walked out.

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

As Russell and her brother were having coffee, Esposito stood up as Maria was escorted into interrogation by an officer. She sat down and was secured. She looked at Esposito as the door closed. "Nice to see you again Detective Esposito. Wish it was under better circumstances."

Esposito. "Same here Maria. You know why you are in here?"

Maria nodded and shifted. "I do but I don't regret it. That scumsucker got Rachel hooked on those damn pills."

"Start at the beginning." Esposito said to her. He held up the picture of the man she shot. "Who is he?"

"Leonard Fig, but Rachel called him Pill." Maria said as she shifted in her seat again. "Rachel and I mutually broke up after we met Jennifer. Rachel wanted to party some more, I was ready to settle down. After she left the firm where I work at now, we still continued to have lunch one a week. But a year ago she started to miss lunches, and friends at the firm where she worked called she left early. Came to find out one day, she was in a really bad accident, and got hooked on pain pills. Oxy."

"And when her doctor refused to sign another prescription, she went searching for more." Esposito said getting a nod from Maria. Now Esposito shifted in his seat. "How does Pill fit in?"

Maria leaned forward as best she could. "Jennifer would freak out if she knew because of her job, but on nights I said I was working late, I was trying to convince Rachel to go get help. She did for about six months. Then came to find her one day almost OD'ing in her bathroom with pill bottles in there about a month ago."

"She could have relapse Maria." Esposito stated leaning forward now. "It does happen."

"No. Rachel had a sponsor, and went to meetings. Somehow Pill found out and manipulated her in to taking again." Maria stated as she shifted in her seat and tried to raise her hands. "I know he did I know. What am I looking at?"

"Minimum five years." Esposito said. He sighed and looked at Maria. "I have to ask where you were this morning between 4 and 7 am."

"I stayed at the office. I worked late and burned out on the couch in my office." Maria told him. She saw the look. "Ask security, I asked them to wake me at 6 so I could go home and change."

There was a knock on the window which caused both of them to turn and look in that direction. Esposito got up. "Be right back."

Esposito left interrogation room and entered into the observation room. Castle held up his tablet. "Nothing on Facebook indicating motivation, only statements about you can't help people who can't help themselves and people with addictions have a medical disease type post. You believe her?"

"Don't care what I believe. Until her alibi clears, she is still a suspect, no matter who she is related too." Esposito said looking into interrogation. He sighed and looked at Castle. "But between you and me, I don't think she did it."

Castle and Esposito both looked into interrogation.

 **Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"Detective Ryan, I was expecting you to be tailed by Mr. Castle." Dr. Pearlmutter said with a smirk on his face. He walked over towards Rachel Maddows body. "He really does follow you guys like a dog."

"Pearlmutter, how is it you still have job?" Ryan stated he came into the exam room and stood near the body. "Trust me, if Captain Beckett heard you talk like that about him, you end up on that table."

Pearlmutter cleared his throat. "Right. Good point."

Ryan smiled on the inside not wanting to give away how he felt. He motioned to Rachel Maddows. "What do you have on our victim here?"

"Cause of death was in fact gunshot wounds to the chest. One bullet severed the arota, and the other tore a hole in the heart." Pearlmutter said handing the file over to Ryan. He then turned and held up a jar with two bullets inside it. "Small caliber round, but two big for .22 maybe a .25"

"So she bleed out internally?" Ryan asked getting a nod from Pearlmutter. Ryan made notes and shook his head. "Any defensive wounds or other signs of a struggle?"

"She has bruises on her arms, like she fought somebody, and I found skin under her fingernails. I sent the traces to the lab." Pearlmutter stated as he crossed his arms in front of him. "That wasn't the most interesting find. I found out something else?"

"What was that?" Ryan asked looking at Pearlmutter.

"Our dead girl was pregnant." Pearlmutter replied as he reached out and took the folder back. Ryan looked at him in shock.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for the delay folks. I was battling a sickness here in my house that made its rounds to everyone. I hope everyone enjoys the updated. For this story I have deviated a little bit off my usual way of doing things. Like the lack of a primary crime scene and only one suspect so far. But not to fret, there will be some unraveling of what should be a open and shut case and such. Just be paitents folks. Enjoy the update. Thank you.**

 **Chapter 2**

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"Pregnant Ryan?" Castle asked as they looked at the board as Ryan briefed them on what he had learned from Pearlmutter. "According to Maria, she was OD'ing a month ago. That should have caused a miscarriage."

"Well I may not be a doctor, but I do know what the symbols mean on a pregnancy test." Ryan smirked as he went to answer his phone which was ringing.

"Maybe Maria got the timeframe wrong." Castle stated as he and Esposito continued to look at the board.

"Could be, but maybe not. How soon does a women generally know she's pregnant?" Esposito asked Castle and tossing him a look.

Castle saw the look of Esposito. "Uh Espo, generally if they are late, and start freaking out if they weren't trying to get pregnant, generally that is a sign."

"Dude, I think you need to go home and check on the wife." Esposito replied with a smirk on his face. He turned to Ryan. "Ryan how long did Jenny think she was pregnant before you guys officially found out."

"Wasn't till a couple weeks after her friend was supposed to arrive, but of course we were trying." Ryan said as he brought his phone back up to his mouth. "Yeah I'm still here."

"Alright, so generally a women either knows or doesn't know. Ryan check with Pearlmutter and find out how far along was she." Esposito told Ryan who had finally hung up his desk phone.

"He's already on top of it, along with the tox report." Ryan stated as he came up by the board. He took out his notebook. "But that was security at Maria's building. They went to wake her at the time she requested and she wasn't there."

Castle shrugged his shoulders. "So she probably got up and left early."

Ryan "Maybe but building security is sending us their surveillance footage. But Maria has a .25 registered to her and she used Russell's name as a point of contact."

Esposito blew out a breath. "Maria's cell phone?"

"Waiting on the cell phone company to send her phone information so I can find out where it pinned." Ryan replied. He took deep breath. "What are you going with this?"

"Castle, I know the doctor's orders but we should let her…." Esposito started to say but Castle shook his head.

"No, no. As soon as the words, Russell, point of contact, girlfriend and her gun, Kate will be out of bed faster than you can say spare bedroom for Richard Castle." Castle remarked as he held his hands up. He then crossed his arms when the boys gave him a look. "Guys I know what you are thinking, but come on, this is my wife and child's health we are talking about here."

"He has a point Javi." Ryan said smiling at his partner.

Esposito nodded. "Yeah he does. Alright, we call in Russell and talk to her about it ourselves. Maria gets sent down to Central booking in the next couple hours. I want to talk to her again about the pregnancy and the gun. Castle can you try calling Russell…"

"Already on it." Castle remarked as he had the phone up to his ear. He pulled it down. "Huh strange went to voice mail."

"Maybe she is taking care of business." Esposito stated from his desk.

 **Rick and Kate's Loft**

 **SoHo, New York**

Russell walked off the elevator and towards the door taking a deep breath. She was taking her brother's advice and possibly ruining a friendship with Castle at the same time by bringing stress and work to Kate when she should be on bedrest. But Kate should know at least that is what Russell thought. She knocked on the door and was surprised to see Lanie Parrish answer it. "Jennifer, what are you doing here?"

"I needed to speak with the Captain." Russell remarked. She took a deep breath. "I know she is supposed to be on bed rest and stress free, but it's important."

"Girl you didn't clear this with Castle did you?" Lanie asked. She saw Russell shake her head. "Girl you are asking for a world of hurt…."

Kate called out from the bedroom. "Just send my detective back here will you Lanie geez, I'll handle Castle."

"Too easy for me to answer that one Kate." Lanie called out as Russell proceeded towards the bedroom.

Kate looked up from the book she was reading as Russell walked in. "Jennifer you looked better. What's going on?"

Russell took a deep breath. "Captain, I know what Castle said and you're supposed to be resting, and Lieutenant Meyers is handling everything, but Maria has been arrested."

Kate was shocked at the news. "For what?"

"Assault with a deadly weapon. Plus a former girlfriend of hers was our victim, and I know she'll be a person of interest in that too." Russell stated as Kate pointed to a chair. Russell nodded her thanks. "It's been a couple years since I have actually seen the victim, but we arrested Maria in her apartment with a gun and a man she claimed got her ex hooked onto the drugs."

"You can't work it." Kate said after Russell had finished speaking. She saw her head pick up. Kate shook her head. "It's a fine line, one that I walked for years with my mother's case and it nearly cost me everything. Jennifer you have to back off."

"What about your husband's disappearance, and the shooting with the Volkov case Captain?" Russell asked leaning forward now.

"His disappearance is still a mystery to him because he hasn't recovered all his memories yet." Kate answered the first part as she shifted to get more comfortable. She took a deep breath. "Second, the Volkov case became a matter of National Security and all I case say is that my team when I ran it were requested."

"So I should sit back and help my brother fight my friends against the charges?" Russell asked sitting up straight now.

"If he's a lawyer, let him do his job. Jennifer you interfere in this, and 1PP will have me fire you, and there is nothing I can do to save you." Kate warned her. She looked at her watch. "Look I appreciate you telling me I do, but trust Ryan, Esposito and Castle. I do."

Russell sat on that for a minute before nodding. "Yes ma'am I will."

"Alright. Go be with Maria before she thinks you abandoned her." Kate told her detective. Russell nodded and shook Kate's hand before leaving the bedroom and Lanie letting her out. Lanie appeared a moment later. Kate blew out a breath. "Maybe I did need the bedrest. That was a lot less stressful here than at the precinct."

"I'll be the judge of that girl. What are you going to tell hubby?" Lanie asked coming into the bedroom with a blood pressure monitor.

"Not a thing and neither will you. Russell needs him focused on the case, not me and stressing out over me." Kate told her best friend who smiled at her. Lanie nodded at Kate indicating her blood pressure didn't spike that much at all. "That's good. Now all I have to do is survive the next two days like this."

"At least you're not Russell. Poor girl." Lanie said putting the BP monitor away.

Kate nodded and took a deep breath. In the hallway, Russell listen to the voicemail from Castle asking her to call him right away to talk about information on Maria they had discovered. Russell pressed the down button on the elevator.

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"Alright thanks doc." Esposito said into his desk phone before hanging it up. "Our pill man is out of surgery and will be available to talk to us after 4 this afternoon."

"You thinking he put Rachel up to it?" Castle asked Esposito who shrugged his shoulders. He looked at the murder board. "You know if I was writing this, one of the women would be at least bi and the murderer."

"Yeah but that was before you were married Castle." Ryan quipped at the comment made by Castle as Ryan opened an email. "You just make them the murderer."

"Beckett would kill you Castle if you did something that insensitive." Esposito stated smirking as he got up and went to the printer.

"This is true, but there has to be more than Maria helping Rachel getting cleaned and then it all leading up to this." Castle stated as he sat down at the desk. "First of all you shoot Rachel then toss your gun away, then go to her apartment and find her pusher or former pusher in her apartment you grabbing her 9mm hand gun and shoot her pusher or former pusher right before cops burst in. Not buying it."

"What are you thinking Castle?" Esposito asked.

"Let me check her social media again. There may be something there I missed." Castle stated as he went to the computer.

Esposito nodded as he sat back down at his computer and began looking at the printouts of crimes of the Pill Man. His phone started to ring to which Esposito picked it up a moment later. "Yeah."

Castle looked up as Esposito hung up the phone about 30 seconds later. "What's up?"

"Russell is on her way to holding to be with Maria, and her lawyer is signing in downstairs." Esposito quipped. He got up and looked at Castle. "Anything?"

"Nothing. General stuff people post and share on Facebook." Castle answered as he now got up. He looked around. "Maybe we should talk to Russell. They live together, she might have more than what's going on?"

Esposito shook his head. "I'll talk to her again. Ryan keep checking on Maria's cellphone, and the victim's phone. I'll be in interrogation room one."

Ryan nodded as Esposito and Castle moved off towards interrogation room one. Castle moved off towards the observation room. A couple minutes later, Russell, Maria and the lawyer were escorted into the interrogation room. Everyone sat down in the chairs. Esposito took a deep breath. "Russell are you sure you want to be here for this?"

"Today I am not a cop Esposito. Just a love one." Russell remarked as she attempted a smile. She pointed to the lawyer sitting on the other side of Maria. "My brother. John Russell of Russell, Smith and Wagner."

"Nice to meet you detective." John said putting a notepad in front of him.

"Same here, but I need to get to the point." Esposito said. He saw the Russell's and Maria nodding at that. Esposito took a deep breath and produced the report from autopsy. "Maria, Rachel Maddows was pregnant. Did you know about this?"

"I mean I knew when she was getting help that she talked about starting a family." Maria said picking up the report and staring at it. "She was looking for possible donors though."

Esposito made notes of this. "Is possible she may have been…"

"No she never went back to men. She talked about donors." Maria stated by pushing the paper back from her. "She never really knew her parents, so she wanted to be one to be there for the child."

"Is there anybody we can contact?" Esposito asked getting shakes of the heads from Russell and Maria.

"Her grandmother basically raised her until she left for Columbia, then died while during the first semester." Russell remarked. She saw the look from Esposito. "Like I said we met while at Columbia."

Esposito nodded remembering Russell mentioning that. He took a deep breath. It was time to deliver the bad news. "Maria, security when they went to wake you, didn't find you in the office. Where did you go?"

"I woke up early and left the office to head home. You can check with Jennifer on that. I texted her to let her know that." Maria stated by looking down at her girlfriend. "That was about 545."

Russell nodded. "She did do so, but I read the text message after my alarm went off this morning."

"What time was that?" Esposito asked.

"Had to be about 615." Russell answered the question.

While Esposito was writing that down, Ryan came into the observation room where Castle was observing the interrogation. Castle turned to Ryan. "Hey what did you find out?"

"We need Javi in here." Ryan stated before he knocked on the window. "Its not looking too good."

Esposito turned and looked at the glass before excusing himself to walk into the observation room. He saw the concern on Ryan's face. "What is it Ryan?"

"Maria was seen on video leaving around 530 from the parking garage of the building where she works. But her cellphone pinged in the victim's neighborhood about 20 minutes later." Ryan stated.

"Could be a coincidence Ryan." Castle stated towards Ryan.

"Wish it was, but not the case though." Ryan stated as he handed the report over to Esposito who read it. He sighed and passed it back to Ryan and he left the room. Castle was curious at what the report read so Ryan passed it to him. Castle was in shock.

Esposito opened the door and walked in. "Maria Salvatore, you are under arrest for the murder of Rachel Maddows."

"What?" Maria said in surprise as Esposito came behind her and brought her to her feet.

"Esposito what is going on?" Russell demanded.

"Maria's gun was located in a dumpster not too far away from the crime scene. Her gun matched the bullets taken from the victim and her prints were also on the gun." Espsoito replied to the demand from Russell. He put the cuffs on Maria. "You have the right to remain silent, you give up that right….."

Russell looked on Esposito and then to the two way glass in the observation room as Castle looked at his partner who had tears in her eyes.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Big shocker at the end of this chapter. How will the case turn and what did Rachel take to cause a possible OD. Let me know what you think. Enjoy the update and everyone again thank you for the reviews and follows. Enjoy.**

 **Chapter 3**

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

Esposito, Ryan and Castle all sat down at their respective spots as the shock of what happen sunk in. Ryan was the first to break the silence. "I couldn't believe when I read the report."

"Neither could I bro, but I had to do it." Esposito replied as he sat back and looked at the murder board. He took a deep breath. "But the evidence is pointing to Maria."

Castle took a deep breath as well. "Seems like its pointing to her rather easily though."

"What do you mean Castle?" Ryan asked.

"Gun in dumpster with her prints on it located not too far from the crime scene." Castle stated as he got up and looked at the board. "And Maria ways what 110-120 pounds at most. Would she have the strength to lift Rachel's body into the dumpster?"

"Castle you have point. Plus she would have blood on her clothing." Esposito said as he now got up and moved towards the board, with Ryan following behind. "Ryan call in a warrant for their apartment."

"You want to search Russell's apartment?" Ryan asked in shock.

"Well the clothes we arrested Maria in don't match what she was wearing yesterday." Castle said pointing to the photo of Maria leaving the parking garage. Then something hit him. "Ryan, which way did Maria's car turn when she left the garage?"

"Right." Ryan answered as he came closer to the board. Then it hit him. "There is an atm at the corner."

"So we can determine if she turned towards the Upper West side where our victim lived or continued towards her and Russell's apartment." Castle said.

"How do you explain the gun and her cell phone Castle?" Esposito said going back over to his desk to start the warrant for Russell and Maria's apartment.

"By all accounts, Maria didn't leave the office till 530 and then shot our victim and made it back to her apartment in plenty of time to change and show up to Rachel's to confront our pill man." Castle said pointing to the board. He shook his head. "I maybe a mystery writer, but even I know that is impossible unless Maria has a jetpack in her closet."

"You would love that wouldn't you Castle?" Ryan asked smirking as he contacted the company that owned the ATM to send him the footage.

"You wouldn't." Castle answered with a smirk himself.

Ryan and Esposito just shook their heads.

 **New York County Courthouse**

 **Manhattan, New York**

The Bailiff walked to the front of the courtroom. "Next docket. Case number 11563, the People vs. Maria Salvatore. The charges are murder in the first degree, assault with a deadly weapon in the first degree, attempted murder in the first degree."

"Who do we have representing the defendant?" The judge asked from his position.

"John Russell for the defense your honor." John said standing next to Maria.

"Ms. Maxine Counsel for the people your honor." The assistant District Attorney stated.

The judge nodded his understanding. "Very well, what does the defendant plead?"

"Your honor my client wishes to enter a plea of not guilty." John stated from his table.

"Your honor, the defendant shot a unarmed man in her former lovers apartment, and her gun was found to be the murder weapon of said former lover." The ADA stated from her table.

"Your honor this is a bail hearing and not the trial." John countered.

"Agreed. Save it for the trial counselor. Where are the people on bail?" The judge asked.

"We request a bail of 1 million dollars your honor." The ADA stated.

"Your honor my client has been a upstanding citizen, never been in any kind of trouble before, and is not a flight risk. All she wants is to clear her name." John stated and tossed a look of disbelief over towards the ADA.

"Bail is set at 750,000 dollars and the defendant must surrender her passport if she has one." The judge ruled and gaveled the motion.

John spoke to Maria who nodded before he turned and saw Jennifer waiting at the back of the courtroom. "Are you sure you're supposed to be here?"

"Can't be anywhere else at the moment?" Russell replied as she crossed her arms. She looked at her brother. "Where is she supposed to get that money? Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?"

"Maybe you should just let her sit in jail Jennifer. It would look better for your career." The ADA said coming over and looking at the Russell's. "I'm open to a deal. I got the gist of the case so far. No deal on the murder charge, while she pleads to the assault 2, and I'll drop the attempted murder charge. She'll be out before she is rolled out in a pine box."

"Give us time to think about it?" John asked ignoring the look from his sister.

"24 hours." The ADA said picking up her briefcase and walking out of the courtroom.

Once the ADA left, Russell looked at her brother. "What are you doing John?"

"Buying you and your team time to find out the truth Jennifer." John said as he looked at his watch and sighed. "You better call Castle, Ryan or Esposito. You have a clock."

"You think she did it?" Jennifer stated.

"No I don't but I need ammo to go to war with." John answered brushing past her and towards the door. "You better get on it."

Russell sighed and followed her brother out of the courtroom and pulled out her phone and dialed the number.

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"No your honor, Detective Russell isn't involved, her girlfriend is the suspect. I need the warrant to search their apartment for the clothes she was wearing last night." Esposito said in to his phone. He threw up his hand to which Castle shrugged his shoulders. "Yes sir. Thank you."

"No go on the warrant huh?" Castle asked as his phone began to ring. He took it out and looked at it as Esposito set the phone down.

"Nope. Says we need more than a guess, especially if it's a cop's love one." Esposito replied as he looked at Castle. "Bro aren't you going to answer that."

Castle nodded and swiped his finger over it. "Russell I can't help you."

"I know but listen, they charged Maria and we have 24 hours before my brother has to give an answer on a potential deal. Castle so I, we need your help." Russell pleaded with her partner, her boss's husband.

Castle took a deep breath. "Stay by your phone and I'll give you call back."

Castle ended the call as Ryan and Esposito looked at Castle. "DA gave them a deal offer and apparently we have 24 hours to find an answer."

"Smart lawyer her brother." Esposito said getting up from his desk. He looked to Ryan who nodded. "Call her back and tell her we'll do it, but have her meet us at their apartment."

Castle nodded and took out his phone while Ryan heard a beep on his computer indicating an email. He opened it and saw it was the surveillance footage from the time he requested it. "Espo we have the footage from that ATM."

Esposito came over as did Castle as he ended his call with Russell. The footage showed the corner fully. Esposito pointed at the screen. "That's Maria's car right there. If she turns left she is heading towards our victims neighborhood."

The car didn't turn left, nor go straight, but instead turned right at the corner and headed in the direction of Russell and Maria's apartment. Ryan backed up the footage and with the limits of his computer zoomed in. "That's Maria alright."

"The district attorney will still argue stating she could have gone towards the apartment further up the road." Castle stated.

"Yeah, but the next opportunity wouldn't be for a couple miles and even then it be hard for to get there to kill our victim." Esposito said standing up and patting Ryan on the shoulder. "Ryan you go to the apartment and find those clothes that Maria was wearing, I'll go to the hospital and talk to the man shot by Maria."

"I'll go with Ryan and help him." Castle said going to go get his coat.

"Wont Kate kill you for checking out a lesbian couple's apartment?" Esposito asked with a smirk on his face.

"No because they have a dish we've been meaning to get back, and this is the perfect opportunity to do so." Castle replied as he started towards the elevator with Ryan right behind him.

"When did I miss that?" Esposito said starting to follow the both of them.

"It was a baby shower for me and Jenny, Javi. You were still in the middle east." Ryan replied with smile on his face.

"I seriously need more macho friends than you too." Esposito replied as he walked on as the doors were closing.

 **Jennifer and Maria's Apartment**

 **Chelsea, New York**

Russell was waiting for Ryan and Castle to show up to her and Maria's apartment so they could look for the clothes that Maria wore to work yesterday and came home in. She was nervous knowing that this could either make or break the case against Maria. She spotted the both of them coming down the hallway. "I haven't been inside yet."

"Good, just let us in so we could do this." Ryan stated as Russell nodded and stuck the key in the door.

"Castle I'll get your dish for you too." Russell remarked as she opened the door. She took a deep breath. "There you go."

"Wait here Russell." Ryan told her as he and Castle proceeded towards the bedroom. Walking in the found the hamper that both Russell and Maria use together. "If Jenny saw me doing this…."

"Same with Kate." Castle answered as he put on the gloves Ryan provided. He smiled at Ryan. "Its part of the job right?"

"Right." Ryan replied as he and Castle began to pull the clothes out of the hamper and set them on the bed. It didn't take them long to go through the hamper. "Nothing."

"Bathroom." Castle pointed out and moved towards the bathroom. Finding it in perfect condition he didn't find anything in there. He closed the door a bit and saw nothing. "Nothing Ryan."

"Try the closet." Russell called out from the hallway. "It's dry cleaning."

Ryan pointed a finger in the air thinking he should have known that. He opened the closet door and searched for about a minute. "Got it."

Castle came over to Ryan who held it for Castle to see. They nodded and started towards the front door. "Got it Russell, we'll let you know."

"Castle wait a second." Russell said grabbing his arm as he walked past.

"I'll meet you downstairs Castle." Ryan said to Castle who nodded.

Russell waited a moment for Ryan to get further away. "Look, I know you'll be mad, but I had to take this to the Captain."

Castle's face went red. "She is supposed to be resting Jennifer, and not stressing about work. And you took this to her."

"I know it was wrong, but when she comes back and if this was still going on, I didn't want her to be blindsided." Russell replied. Her voice was breaking and she looked down. "I regret it, and Lanie also gave me a look, but she needed to know.

"No she didn't Russell. She needs to focus on her health and our child's health." Castle said harshly. He took a deep breath. "I understand you needed to bring this to her, but you could have let me told her or just gone to Lt. Meyers. If she was stressed out in anyway because of this or her or our child's health…."

"We're done. I got it." Russell replied. She had tears but she understood. She nodded and looked him in the eyes. "I'm sorry. "

Castle watched as she walked into the apartment and closed the door. He then proceeded down the hallway. He turned on his heels and quickly moved to the elevator. He arrived downstairs where Ryan was talking to a resident of the building. "Thanks. Castle, get this Maria showed up about six in the morning. There is no way she could have shot Rachel Maddows."

"Great let's go back to the station and let Esposito know." Castle said blowing past Ryan who gave him a look.

"Castle, Esposito is at the hospital talking to Leonard Fig." Ryan called to the back of Castle who just continued to the car.

 **Presbyterian Hospital**

 **Manhattan, New York**

Esposito walked into Leonard Fig's room as the nurse was leaving. "Leonard Fig, Detective Esposito I need to ask you a few questions?"

"Are you trying to get that bitch off, because I am telling you now that I want her to fry." Leonard stated as he looked at Detective Esposito who was shocked at the look. "Rachel told me about her ex and her bitch cop girlfriend."

"Look Leonard. I'm not trying to get her off, all I want to do is get questions answered." Esposito said coming over and taking out his notebook. "How did you know Rachel Maddows?"

"No way man, you'll jam me up to get that dyke out of her charges." Leonard replied.

Esposito looked about and bumped the bed and caused Leonard to grimace a little bit. "Sorry slipped."

"That hurt man, wait till my lawyer…" Leonard started to say.

Esposito cut him off. "Look scumbag, all I want to know is where you were at the time Rachel Maddows was killed and how you know her? If you cooperate, you get a get out of jail free card from me good for one time only."

Leonard thought it over. "Fine. Someone I know gave me Rachel's contact information, and we met at the Riverside Park to discuss what she wanted and how much she could pay."

"So how did you deal with her getting help?" Esposito stated as he wrote that down.

"That bitch get help. Ha. Six months after she "got help", she calls me up asking for a fix. Having pain in her abdomen. I told her no go." Leonard stated as he laughed a little bit. "That bitch stilled owed me from the last time."

"So that is why you were there this morning." Esposito stated getting a nod from Leonard. He took a deep breath. "Then where did she get the pills that she almost OD'ed on six weeks ago?"

"Not from me nor anybody I know. I blacklisted her." Leonard stated smirking at Esposito. "What Pill say goes, goes on the street. No one would sell to her."

"I'll check with my friends at Narco about that." Esposito said in reply.

"Do that, oh and by the way they were watching me make a deal on a delivery that they busted." Leonard stated with a wider smirk now. "That was around the time of Rachel's death, and I'm pretty sure the six cameras they had confirmed it."

Esposito looked in shock knowing that their only suspect probably just had the single best alibi, and it was given to him by the NYPD.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is a short chapter but important one. You can see how the stress is effecting Russell and Maria. Do you think Castle will forgive his partner, and can they find out who murdered the ex-girlfriend. Hope you enjoy the update. Thank you.**

 **Chapter 4**

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"Alright thanks man." Esposito said into his desk phone. He rubbed his head. "Leonard Fig's handler says they had eyes on him the whole time. Video and audio. They are sending it to us for us to confirm."

"Is he checking to see if the claim by Fig about blacklisting Rachel is true?" Castle asked getting a nod from Esposito. He took a deep breath. "Still doesn't make sense though. She complains of a pain in her abdomen, OD's then gets pregnant. Something is out of context here."

"Like what Castle?" Ryan asked.

"If I was writing it, there be some indication of planning something like this on Rachel's account. She wouldn't just tell Maria. There isn't anything on any of her social media." Castle stated as he got up and looked at the board. "She could have made the message private, so I wouldn't know."

"What about the pain and the OD?" Ryan asked as he got up and came toward the board.

"Again nothing on her social media, but she may not have posted anything like that." Castle remarked. He took a breath. "We have to check out her apartment."

Esposito checked his watch. "First thing in the morning. I'll call in the warrant before we leave, and meet you guys there first thing."

"Do we let Russell know what's going on?" Ryan asked.

"No. She stays out of it." Esposito said with Castle nodding. He took a deep breath. "She has way too much on her plate right now."

Ryan just shrugged his shoulders and moved towards his desk. Castle looked at the murder board one last time and grabbed his coat. Esposito caught him by the arm. "You ok bro? Generally you fight tooth and nail on a decision like that?"

"Yeah I am fine Javi. Just want to get home to Kate and see how she did today." Castle said lying to Esposito. He saw the look. "I'm fine."

"Alright bro. Tell Beckett hi from us." Esposito said to the departing back of Castle. He turned to Ryan. "What was that about?"

"Don't know Javi. He didn't say a thing to me. See you in the morning." Ryan told Esposito who nodded. Esposito just shrugged his shoulders and called in the warrant request before departing the bullpen.

 **Kate and Rick's Loft**

 **SoHo, New York**

Alexis walked into the loft after classes to find Martha and Jim sitting at the island enjoying a cup of coffee. They turned and smiled at her as she shut the door. "Hey Mr. Beckett, Grams."

"Alexis dear, how was school?" Martha asked as Alexis hung up her coat in the closet.

"Good, pretty interesting lectures." Alexis replied coming over and give Martha a kiss and shake Jim's hand. "Where's Kate?"

"My daughter is in her room probably trying to find ways to do work." Jim said with a smirk as he held up Kate's laptop and files.

"Hey, I can hear you, and I have been good today." Kate called out from the bedroom.

Alexis smiled and leaned in close to Martha and Jim. "I'll go say hi the inmate."

"I heard that Alexis." Kate shouted from the bedroom. Alexis smiled and walked into her dad and stepmother's bedroom. Kate looked up from the book and smiled at her stepdaughter. "Hi Alexis. Inmate really?"

"I thought it was funny." Alexis replied with a smirk as she came over and gave Kate a kiss. "How was your day?"

"Oh the guards were pretty nice to me today considering." Kate smirked as she set the book she was reading on the bedside table. "How was class?"

But before Alexis could answer, the loft door opened and Castle walked in. "Hello everyone."

The sounds of hello Richard, dad, and babe echoed throughout the loft. Castle hung up and coat and went over to his father in law and mother to say hello before walking to the bedroom. "Hi pumpkin, beautiful."

"Hey babe." Kate replied as Castle came over and gave her a kiss.

"Alexis how was class?" Castle said as he sat down on the bed and started to rub Kate's back.

"Not bad. My professor in political science ignited a debate on cell phones." Alexis replied standing in front them. "He stated whether or not if the US government should clone cellphone numbers and cell them to terrorist to track."

"Well one that would be a violation of more than a dozen federal laws, and two it's morally unethical to do so." Kate replied with a smile on her face. She took Rick's hand. "I can see the appeal of it but I couldn't do it."

"I have to agree with Kate. It's just not right." Castle stated as he smiled at his daughter.

"That is what a lot of my classmates said. So now we have to write a 10 page paper stating both sides of the argument. Not looking forward to it."

"Well I help in any way I can, but you'll have to come in here, since I'm in lockdown." Kate said smirking at Alexis who chuckled.

Alexis gave Kate a kiss and left her parents alone as Kate leaned forward and placed her head on Castle's shoulder. "How did go today?"

"Let's see, Maria has been arrested and arraigned for murder, though we probably just proved she couldn't have committed the murder." Castle said as he continued to rub Kate's back. He sighed. "Our only suspect has a solid alibi provided by the department, and I laid into Russell for her coming over here today and talking about work with you."

"Babe, I know you would be angry about that, but I can see why and agree with the reason she did it." Kate replied taking her head off his shoulder and sitting up straight. "So what did you tell her?"

"That you need to focus on remaining stress free, and taking in account the health of you and Cosmo." Castle replied as he placed his hands over her baby bump. "And if she didn't respect that or something happen to you, we're done."

Kate sighed. "I understand babe, and I appreciate the worry you are showing, but I was fine afterwards. Hardly any stress."

Castle started to open his mouth, but she placed her hand over his. "And if my officers and detectives can't come to me to be a sounding board, especially if I am pregnant, or little James is at home sick, I might as well turn in my badge because then I lost their respect because they think I cant handle it."

Castle took her hands and look into her eyes. "I guess I went a little overboard didn't I."

"Yes you did." Kate replied with a smile on her face. She leaned in again and kissed Castle. "Go get me my dinner warden, the inmate is hungry."

"Yes ma'am." Castle replied with a smile on his face. He got up and walked out into the main area of the loft and headed towards the kitchen. He could hear Alexis and Jim having a debate. "You staying for dinner Jim?"

"What are you making?" Jim asked looking at his son in law.

"Just garlic and herbed bake chicken, salad and a roll." Castle replied.

"I'll help with the salad." Jim said in reply. He then turned back to Alexis. "So the federal government would be susceptible to a law suit despite national security concerns?"

"But cant FISA get around that?" Alexis asked.

"No because FISA technically hasn't been amended to include terrorist." Jim countered.

Castle looked over at his daughter and father in law having a intellectual debate. Then it hit him. "Would two of the same numbers but on different phones appear on cell phone tower locations and Wi-Fi hot spots locations?"

"They can. Why?" Jim asked.

"Somehow I think I know how Maria's phone ended up on the Upper West side." Castle answered the question.

 **Jennifer and Maria's Apartment**

 **Chelsea, New York**

Russell was sitting on her couch with a glass of wine on the coffee table in front of her. She had been crying and drinking ever since Castle and Ryan left. The words that Castle spoke hurt her deeply, but she understood why. She ignored his request, and went behind his back to his wife, who was under doctors' orders to rest in bed, and remain stress free for her and the baby's health. Ever since Castle and Ryan left, she has been alternating between crying and drinking. She takes a large sip when the door opens and in walks Maria into the apartment. She looked at Russell. "Hey babe?"

"Hey. Who bailed you out?" Russell asked taking another large sip of wine.

"People from work." Maria asked setting her belongings down on the table by the door. She looked at Jennifer. "How much have you had?"

"Well the bottle was full when I started." Russell remarked. She set the glass down and got to her feet but wobbling a bit. "Are you still in love with her?"

Maria was in shock. "What?"

"Are you still love with her Maria? It's not a hard question to answer." Russell remarked as she walked around the coffee table to come face to face with her girlfriend.

"I love you Jennifer. Nothing is changing that." Maria said defending herself.

"You spent the last six months trying to help her, and I applaud you for that." Russell said putting her hand on the door to brace herself. "But you don't know how you being at her apartment with a gun in your hand, your gun that I helped you get, looks on me. I had a district attorney telling me it would be better for my career if I distance myself."

"I'm not talking to you like this." Maria said turning around and started to walk away with tears in her eyes. She then spun around and looked at her girlfriend. "I went back to check on her because I knew she just had successful embryo implantation, and I wanted to check on her because it's rough on a body, especially after an overdose. Oh and you want to know how it affects your career. I lost my job because of this. Think about that."

Maria walked into their bedroom and slammed the door. Russell looked at the closed door before she walked out the apartment.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: I would like to apologize to everyone for the tardiness of updating this story. I have been dealing with some demons that stem from my service, as well as overcoming issues with work and home life. I hope to be more regular now with the updates as I have worked past these. I hope everyone enjoys the updates and thank you all for the reviews.**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Rachel Maddows Apartment**

 **Upper West, New York**

"It's an interesting theory Castle, but how would you go about proving it?" Ryan asked as they got out of the car at Rachel Maddow's building and walked into the lobby. They strolled towards the elevator. "Check Maria's phone?"

"Why not. It's a minicomputer it should be able to record when somebody copied the information off of it." Castle defended his theory. They boarded the elevator as the doors opened. "According to my father in law and Alexis, it's not that hard of a process."

"Yet as an executive at the marketing firm she is at, she would have her phone the whole time." Esposito said as they waited for the elevator to stop on the Rachel Maddows floor. "How would you get it?"

"Well she would bring it with her in meetings, office while she goes to the bathroom." Castle remarks. He and the boys share a look. "Right she would take her purse."

"Phone bill?" Esposito asked.

"They get wireless statements." Ryan replied. HE saw the look of Esposito. "You were gone, so you didn't a chance to really know them yet."

"We'll have to ask Maria." Castle stated getting nods from both Ryan and Esposito. The doors opened and they walked off the elevator towards the apartment. Castle saw a familiar figure standing by the door. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Russell pushed her self-off the wall. "I want in. I don't care what you say, and if you want out after this, I understand, but I want in."

"Russell you can't, not with Maria being part of the case." Ryan told her as they stopped in front of her. "IA would…."

"I don't care. I screwed up with her yesterday." Russell told her friends. Tears welled up in her eyes. She then looked at Castle. "With you by going to your wife while I knew she was on bed rest. I just want to make this right."

"Russell we understand where you are coming from, but its our asses if this goes south." Esposito told her. He took a breath. "Go home and apologize to Maria…"

"Let her investigate." Castle said cutting off Esposito. He crossed his arms and looked at Russell. "Kate was right. If her officers can't go to her when they have problems, where can they go to?"

"Castle…" Ryan started to say.

It was Esposito's turn now. "She can help us with Rachel Maddow's homicide but with Maria we can cut her out."

Ryan looked at Castle, Russell and Esposito before just shrugging his shoulders. "Fine but you explain it Jenny when I'm suspended."

Russell smiled as all four of them moved towards the apartment. Esposito cut the crime scene tape and opened the door tacking the warrant to the door. They walked inside and headed looked about. CSU already did a pretty thorough job of going through the apartment. Russell and Castle moved towards the computer desk, while Ryan and Esposito moved towards the bedroom. Russell put on her gloves as Castle did the same. Russell took a breath. "Castle look…"

"Let's get this done Jennifer before we talk about that." Castle told her as they walked up to the computer desk. CSU had taken the computer so they were rummaging through the papers on the desk. "Just bills and stuff for work here."

"Same thing over here. Projects and proposal drafts." Russell replied as she closed the drawer. She moved towards a book case and started to move somethings around. She flipped open a drawer. "Castle take a look at this."

Castle came over and took the vial of pills. "Wow that is a pretty expensive knockoff of prenatal vitamins."

"I'm wondering if she was taking this instead of pain pills and overdosed on theses." Russell commented as she took the pills back from Castle. "Maria said she wanted to have baby."

"Maybe taking these caused the pain in her abdomen and she took aspirin which caused an overdose or seizure." Castle said as Russell nodded as she put the pills in an evidence bag. "By way go for those when prenatal vitamins are available over the counter?"

Before Russell could answer, Ryan came over to them. "Found this in the bedroom."

Russell took the album from Ryan. "That's Rachel, Maria, their friend John, Mark, and Jackie. This is from a Christmas party one year. Maria has the same photo in her album."

Castle pointed to the man in the background. "What's the security guard doing there, and why does he look like Leonard Fig?"

"That's not all Castle. He's in this photo too." Esposito added as he now came over with another album. He pointed out. "That's Rachel and some coworkers. He worked at both buildings."

Russell pointed to the picture. "This was another Christmas party that Rachel attended. Maria saw it on Rachel's Facebook page."

"It could be a coincidence that he was there. Could be a guard at both buildings." Ryan stated the obvious. His phone began to ring.

Castle shook his head. "I know what my wife would have to say about coincidences."

All of them answered at once. "I don't believe in coincidences."

Ryan smiled as he pulled out his phone and answered it as Esposito smiled. Then he remembered something. "CSU checked every place when they swept the first time, found no illegal drugs. I did find however, pictures that Rachel had of Leonard Fig."

"What was she doing with those?" Castle asked as Esposito handed them over to Russell.

"Looks like she was tailing him." Russell commented.

"For what?" Castle asked.

"Don't know but this is outside Maria's building, this was Rachel's building here." Russell remarked as she studied the photos. "This was the security guard in the Christmas party photos. He is talking to him. Must be his brother."

Before anyone could answer, Ryan put his phone back in his pocket. "Tech's picked something up on video from one of the camera's they took footage from."

 **Kate and Castle's loft**

 **SoHo, New York**

Kate set her book down and looked around the room. She was bored, and despite the sound system and TV that Castle had set up for her, she wasn't in the mood to watch a movie or the news. She could hear voices of Lanie, Martha and her father coming from the living area. "This is stupid."

Kate swung her legs out of bed and grabbing a pillow and a blanket from the bed, she walked out of the bedroom and saw her friend and family sitting at the island drinking coffee. Martha noticed her first. "Katherine, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I'm bored in there, while you three are enjoying yourselves out here." Kate replied moving to the couch setting the blanket and pillow down on the couch and getting comfortable. "If I'm stuck in here till the end of the week, I might as well enjoy the company."

"Dear if you needed company, you could have called us, we would have sat with you." Martha replied to the statement made by Kate.

"Don't push her Martha. She is like her mother when Johanna went on bedrest with Kate." Jim said smiling over his cup of coffee.

Kate stuck her head over the couch and looked at her father. "Mom went on bedrest with me?"

"She was spotting a little bit more than usual, so her doctor ordered bedrest for a week." Jim replied getting up and coming over where Kate was. He sat down after picking up his daughter's feet. "She didn't like sitting on the sidelines either, but for the health of you and her, she did it."

Kate's eyes teared up a little bit. "I didn't know that."

"I went on bed rest with Richard. I had high blood pressure like you my dear." Martha said coming over to the couch and looking at her daughter in law and stroking her head.

"Wow." Kate replied as she snuggled into the pillow and laid on her said. She was amazed what she found out from her family. "I never knew that."

"It's not uncommon Kate for pregnant women to go on bedrest to help the body stay healthy during the pregnancy." Lanie said getting up and starting to move towards the couch. "My sister went on bedrest…."

Lanie came over to the couch and saw Kate asleep. Martha rubbing her daughter's hair had put the normally energetic Beckett to asleep. Lanie looked at Martha. "Remind me to hire you when I have kids."

Martha smiled and walked away from the couch as Jim got up as well. All three returned to the island to continue their conversation this time in a lower tone.

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"Alright thanks." Russell said into the phone before hanging it up. She turned to Castle and Esposito who were looking at the photos. "Security officer confirms. Samuel Fig. His emergency contact is Leonard Fig his brother."

"Figured as much. Birth records show they were born at Presbyterian at 1201 and 1210." Esposito replied.

Castle came over to the murder board with the picture. "Explains why they look so close. Twins."

"Yeah, well creepiness and scumbag doesn't stray too far." Russell replied getting up and moving towards the board. "Samuel has complaints against him for harassing females at the buildings that he works at, so that is why security moved him to third shift."

"Instead of firing him, smart move." Esposito replied sarcastically. He got up and moved towards the murder board himself. "So why would Rachel be following Leonard around?"

"I don't know. Maybe to try and find some dirt on him?" Castle remarked.

"Could be, but there is one person that may know the answer." Esposito said in reply to Castle's statement. He turned an eye to Russell. "You think your brother could bring her in for a chat?"

Russell took a deep breath. "He might, but I don't know if she'll talked to me, not after last night."

Castle grasped her shoulder. "It's worth a try Russell. At least we might get some answers about her phone too."

Russell looked at her friends but before she could answer, Ryan came over. "You guys have to see this."

Everyone followed Ryan into the conference room. There the monitor was set up. Ryan tapped the controls. So this alley doesn't have security cameras, but the business at the end of alley do, and they caught our vehicle entering and leaving the alley near the time of death."

Ryan started the video, and they saw what look like a box van turn down the alley. The time code put it around the time of death. "This is the only vehicle to come down the alley any time in the area of time of death."

"Stop it right there Ryan." Russell stated. The image was a little bit blurry but they could see the driver. "Can you zoom in on the driver?"

Ryan nodded and zoomed in on the driver. They all looked closer. It was Esposito that spoke first. "Okay its either Leonard or Samuel."

"Did narcotics send us over their video and audio of them watching Leonard?" Castle asked Esposito.

Esposito nodded. "Yeah they did. I am about to go through that."

"And we'll go through Samuel's background." Russell remarked as they moved out of the conference room. She felt Castle's hand on her shoulder. "Oh and call my brother John."

Castle saw Russell pull out her phone and scroll through her contacts. She hesitated. "Jennifer go ahead, the worst she could do is tell your brother no."

Russell sighed and took a breath. "I screwed up Castle, basically told her my career was more important than her. How am I going to take that back?"

Castle put both hands on her shoulders. "Just tell her you love her, you're sorry, and you'll respect any decisions she makes. If it is over, it is over. Don't beat yourself up until you talk to her, and not about the case, but about you two."

Russell nodded and turned around. She gave Castle a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks."

"Not a problem." Castle replied. He moved off towards her desk, calling out over his shoulder. "I'll start looking into Samuel Fig."

Russell nodded and pushed the contact. Her brother picked up his phone a few seconds later. "John, can you bring Maria by the station, we need to talk to her."

 **Kate and Rick's loft**

 **SoHo, New York**

Kate stirred as she felt someone sit down on the couch. She rubbed her eyes and looked and saw Alexis sitting on the end of the couch. She groaned as she moved. "Alexis, what are you doing here, I thought you had class?"

"It was a test day, and my other class was canceled, and I have a class tonight." Alexis replied with a smile as she passed over the drink to Kate. "Smoothie, with Kale, fruit, and a energy booster."

"Thanks." Kate accepted the drink and took a small sip of it as she looked around the loft. "That is good. Where is everyone?"

"I relieved them for a couple hours. They went out to lunch at Sal's Italian restaurant." Alexis replied with a large smile. "Even the guards need a day off too."

"Oh you are funny." Kate said finally fully sitting up with a groan. She looked down at her growing belly and smiled. "I love this child, but it may be the last one for a while."

Alexis laughed. "Not feeling the love right now?"

"Oh Alexis, what I wouldn't give for coffee, or to be at work right now." Kate said standing for a moment as she stretch before sitting back down. "But I don't regret one moment of it though."

Alexis smiled at the statement made by her step mother. She gave Kate a hug. "That is why I love you. You caring heart."

Kate smiled. "I love you too."

"So, what do you have planned?" Alexis asked.

"Read and try not to go stir crazy." Kate answered Alexis's question. She then picked up a magazine with a sub headline. "Baby revealing parties. Not a traditional shower."

Alexis nodded. "All the rage now a days. You had the traditional shower a few weeks ago where people brought you the diapers and other small knick knacks. Do this and people can specifically tailor their purchases."

Kate's face lit up. "Alexis get a note pad, and some pens. I think I found a way not to go stir crazy."

Alexis smiled, nodded and got up off the couch.

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

Castle, and Russell were sitting at the desk going through paperwork on Samuel Fig. Russell looked up. "You find anything?"

"Samuel may be a creep, but he is a creep with some smarts." Castle stated as he passed over the file on Samuel that the security service that Samuel was employed at sent. "Went to NYU in their electrical engineer and design program before being expelled."

"What was he expelled for?" Russell asked as she looked at the file.

"Conduct unbecoming a student." Castle replied as he replied Russell gave him a look. "He harassed female students not only in the program, but also on campus."

"So why did the security office hire him?" Russell asked looking at Castle in shock.

"No formal charges were ever filed." Esposito remarked as he came over. He looked at Russell and Castle. "Ryan ran Samuel's name through the computer, no charges were filed."

"So that explains that." Russell stated as she got up and looked at the board. She noted the remarks about Maria's phone and locations. "Castle what were you and boys talking about when you arrived?"

"Cloning a cell phone number and it showing up in…" Castle started to say but was cut off.

Russell finished the sentence. "In two places at once, and if Samuel was in the electrical engineer and design program he would know how to clone a cell phone."

Yet before anyone of them could say another word, the elevator opened and out walked Maria and Russell's brother John. The officer with them walked towards the interrogation room. Maria stopped momentarily and looked at Russell. Ryan picked up on it. "Russell, we'll talk to her, why don't you and Castle observe."

Russell nodded as Esposito and Ryan moved towards the interrogation room as Castle started towards the observation room. He turned and saw Russell standing near her desk. "You coming?"

"Yeah." Russell replied. She then quickly caught up to Castle as they entered the observation room. They saw Ryan and Esposito take a seat.

"Thank you for coming in Maria. We have a couple questions for you." Ryan stated. He pulled out a photo they found at the apartment. "Do you know this man?"

"Yes that is Samuel Fig. He is security guard at my building and Rachel's building." Maria stated as she studied the photo. "Bit of a pervert, he has harassed many of the women at our building and Rachel's building. Even commented on how sexy it be watching me, Jennifer and Rachel get it on."

"How come he wasn't fired?" Esposito asked.

"Potential for a lawsuit from him so they moved him to the third shift." Maria replied. She shifted in her seat as John made notes on a legal pad. She looked at Ryan and Esposito. "What's going on here?"

"We are thinking that somehow someone got your phone and cloned your number as well as gotten a hold of your gun." Ryan said setting what they found in front of Maria. She picked it up as she and John looked at it. "You couldn't have killed Rachel, but they are setting you up."

"Have you given this to the DA?" John asked.

"We are waiting to confirm this through her, but the assault charge would still stick if the DA signs off." Esposito commented before he turned his attention back to Maria. "Think back did you maybe leave your purse with your phone behind, along with gun anytime in the last 48 hours?"

Maria thought back. "No I take my purse with my phone with me most of times even to the bathroom, except for the one time I had a late meeting late last week and I shut and locked my office door, leaving my purse and phone in there. I was gone maybe 30 minutes or so."

Ryan looked at Esposito. "That is enough time to clone the phone."

"But its password protected." Maria stated.

In the observation room Russell leaned forward and texted a message to Ryan. Ryan took his phone out and read it. "Is it something easy to remember? Something someone could find out easily?"

Maria nodded before her facial expression changed. "It's….Son of bitch, it was our anniversary of us getting together last week and we celebrated it. I knew I should have changed it when she told me so."

Ryan and Esposito looked at each other and tossed a look back to the observation room where Russell was fighting tears. They then turned back to Maria. Esposito leaned forward. "What about your gun?"

"I hardly ever bring it to work unless I am working really late, and the other night I did have it." Maria commented. "I didn't notice it missing until after you guys arrested me."

Ryan made notes on this. "And you couldn't have filed a police report then."

Maria shook her head no, so Esposito decided to drop the ball. He set photos down where it looked like Rachel was tailing Leonard and Samuel. "We also found these in her apartment. Do you know why she would be tailing Leonard and Samuel?"

Maria nodded her head. "Yes, she said she was suspecting that Leonard and Samuel were trying to use his brother's connections to sell drugs within her and mine work building. She sent me her thoughts, I told her to go to Jennifer, but she said she couldn't not without proof."

"What about the expensive knockoff of prenatal vitamins?" Esposito asked as he produced the photo of the bottle to Maria.

Maria just shrugged her shoulders. "Rachel always tried to save a buck."

Ryan and Esposito nodded and they got up and moved towards the observation room. Arriving a moment later they saw Maria and John still sitting in there, but Ryan was the one that spoke first. "So Rachel is trying to stop a flow of illegal prescription drugs into her work place? Gets spotted and gets killed for it? Doesn't make sense."

"It does if they view her a source of potential problems." Esposito replied. He looked into the observation room. "Pretty clever. Throw suspicion on the former girlfriend, older brother gets shot by her…."

"Which forces us to look at her as a suspect, but they made one mistake." Castle answered the statement that Esposito was going for. He looked at Russell before looking into the interrogation room. "They were hoping that Maria would stay of the office longer so they could throw more suspicion on her."

"As well as cloning her phone too." Russell remarked as she dried the tears. She then turned and faced her tears. She took a breath. "Interesting theory, but we got to find Samuel first, and Leonard has a solid alibi for the murder."

Before anyone could answer, a knock came in and a messenger handed Ryan a slip of paper. "Those pills that we found were tampered with. The bottle was opened and the pills switched out something with a mixture the lab is still trying to identify."

"Someone wanted Rachel to stop her trailing of the Fig brothers." Russell remarked.

"And set Maria up for the murder." Castle answered as they all turned and looked into the interrogation room.

 **Additional** **note: I am probably going to do one more story before I have Kate give birth to Baby Castle. This story will include two people from Kate's past. Any guesses.**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: We reached the high point of this case and will be solving it in the the next chapter. I am setting up a confrontation with a dangerous organization down the line and will be mentioned in next story and one after that before we see the team go after them. I hope everyone enjoys this update and picks up on the small shoutout to the orginal crime scene show just renamed in the update. Thank you and enjoy and please leave reviews and suggestions.**

 **Chapter 6**

 **Kate and Rick's Loft**

 **SoHo, New York**

Martha led Lanie and Jim back into the loft from their lunch and to their surprise, Kate was sitting up and flipping through magazines with Alexis and making notes on a pad of paper. "Kate dear you aren't supposed to be doing work?"

"It's not police related, but baby related." Kate replied as she and Alexis went back through the magazines. Kate saw her father come on over. "Me and Alexis are planning a baby revealing party."

"What is that?" Jim asked as he sat down in between his daughter and step-granddaughter.

Lanie smiled as she sat down at the island. "It's a party where the sex of the baby is revealed through fun methods. People take guess at it."

Everyone looked at Lanie. "My cousin had one. It was fun."

Martha chuckled. "Kate you already had a baby shower. You and Richard are loaded down with all the diapers, wipes, and gender neutral toys you can think of. Why do this?"

"Because it's fun grams. It be a cool way to find out the sex of baby." Alexis beamed as she went back to their notes. "I like the cupcake idea."

"I'm putting that as a second tier idea. I am liking this cake idea more and more." Kate answered the statement of Alexis. She smiled at her. "You know who likes cake the most?"

Alexis beamed. "Dad."

"But your father…." Martha started to say but backed off when Kate tossed her a look. She chuckled as Jim laughed coming over. "Don't get in the way of mama bear."

"If doing this keeps her stress free, I will be gladly staying out of her way." Jim remarked with a smile as he got nods from Lanie and Martha.

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"Alright thanks." Russell said into the phone before she hanged it up on the base. She turned and looked at her team. "Samuel Fig clocked out of work yesterday at four am. Stated he had an emergency he had to take care of."

"Yeah like killing Rachel Maddows." Castle remarked getting a chuckle from everyone. He looked at the board and Samuel's information. "Ok, so assuming he has the van near his place. He goes home, picks up the van, drives it to Rachel Maddows place, brings her inside the van, kills her dumps the body into the dumpster and makes it out of there with no help. He had to have help."

"Now that you say that it makes sense." Ryan answered as he got up and moved towards the board. "Rachel got a text from someone that says they had information on Samuel and to meet them 30 minutes before she was killed."

"Where the text come from?" Russell asked.

"Burner phone." Ryan replied.

"So who would help Samuel and Leonard out?" Esposito asked as he came over and sat on the edge of Russell's desk.

Before anyone could answer Maria walking towards the elevator took a detour with Russell's brother John. "Check into Samuel's work friend Manuel Ortega. Just as creepy as Samuel is."

"Why do you think it's him?" Ryan asked.

Maria came closer and stopped by Russell's desk. "He and Samuel also did the same things like harassing women at the office. But he was fired for putting spy camera's in the ladies restroom."

"Yeah definitely a creep as Kate would say." Castle remarked getting nods. He smiled and looked at Maria. "Do you know where he is now?"

"Hanging out Leonard Fig from what Rachel said. Photos were on her cloud drive." Maria remarked.

"Do you know the name of the cloud drive?" Ryan asked pulling out his notepad and pencil.

"It's on her computer. Password is her birthday reversed with an asterisk at the beginning. Month day and year. Maria replied as she saw Jennifer come on over.

"Guys what about…" John started to say as he saw Ryan finish writing the information down.

"We sent what we found to the DA and she's dropping the murder charge, but the assault with a deadly weapon still stands." Esposito replied as he got up and patted Maria on the shoulder. "Sorry."

"It's ok. Thanks everyone." Maria replied. She turned and walked towards the elevator with John tossing a look to his sister.

Russell sighed as she watched them press the button. She saw Castle's look. "I can't Castle, not with her freedom and a murder…"

"If you don't do it now you may never get the chance again." Castle replied. He motioned with his head towards the elevator as they pair were still standing there. "Trust me I know."

Russell looked at Castle and back towards the elevator again, and got up quickly rushing over to the elevator just as the doors were opening and walked on. She pushed her brother out. "Take the stairs."

Russell stopped the car and turned to face Maria. "Maria, I'm sorry for what I said. I regret."

"You put yourself before my feelings, your career before me." Maria replied over the shrilling of the alarm. She look down for a moment before looking up with tears in her eyes. "I would never do anything to hurt you, and I would be there to the end defending you."

"I know that, and I should have done that." Russell replied as she reached out for Maria's hands. Maria didn't pull back but didn't fully engage either. "I love you too, and the reason I reacted the way I did is that I was scared, frustrated, and angry just to name a few. I saw someone that I care deeply about in trouble, and I couldn't do anything. I was told to take a step back, and not do anything."

"You are now." Maria remarked as she fully engaged now with her hands.

"Because I am working the homicide that you cleared of." Russell replied and then regretted. She took a breath. "I'm not going anywhere and I'll be here with you till the end. I don't care what anybody thinks."

Maria smiled and gave her a quick kiss. "I'm sorry too. I know it's not easy for you too. I love you."

"I love you too." Russell replied. She flipped the switch and the elevator returned back to the 4th floor. There waiting outside was Castle, Esposito, Ryan, and her brother John. She smiled. "She's all yours counselor."

"Thank you Detective." John replied with a smile on his face as he boarded the elevator and hit the button. The doors closed as he turned to talk to Maria.

Russell smiled as she walked past her team who was giving her looks and smiles. "Where are we on Samuel Fig or Manuel Ortega?"

Esposito smiled as Russell arrived at her desk. "We have his last known address. We're about to head. So what exactly went on in the elevator there Russell?"

"I'm kind of curious myself." Ryan answered with a smiled.

"I would be too, if I didn't have a wife at home who would kill me and have her friend make my body disappear." Castle replied with a smile that got a chuckle.

"Nothing happen, we had a talk, and worked everything out. Now let's go pick up Manuel shall we." Russell replied with smile as she breezed by her team and towards the elevator.

"Okay, but I'm pretty sure we'll find out from somebody." Esposito replied with a chuckle as they followed her.

 **Lower East Side**

 **Manhattan, New York**

The team arrived to Manuel's last known address 30 minutes after leaving the precinct. As they climbed out of the cars, Castle looked at a van across the parking lot from them. "Hey isn't that the van from the security footage?"

Ryan took out his notebook and looked at the license plate and compared it to the number he had written down. "It's the same."

"I'll call auto detail and have them come pick up the van." Esposito stated as he pulled out his phone.

"Great, and we'll meet you upstairs." Russell remarked as she and Castle walked towards the apartment complex. They arrived at the building that housed Manuel Ortega's apartment and walked inside. Luckily for them the apartment was on the first floor and they arrived quickly at it. Russell turned to Castle. "How are we going to do this?"

Castle looked around and saw a pizza delivery guy at the nearby door. "Call me cray, but I have an idea on how to get him to open the door."

He walked up to the delivery guy and gave him a 20 and had him come towards the door where he and Russell were waiting.

"Pizza." The Delivery guy said after knocking on the door with a smile.

Russell rolled her eyes as she and Castle had taken positions out of the line of sight of the door. "I don't think this going to…."

Russell stopped speaking when she hear the door locks turn and the door opened. Manuel Ortega appeared in the door way. "I didn't order any…."

Russell rushed passed the delivery guy and grabbed Ortega and slammed him into the wall wrenching his arm behind his back. "Manuel Ortega, NYPD, you are under arrest."

"For what?" Manuel cried out.

"Well for starters falling for the phony pizza delivery trick." Castle remarked as he tipped the delivery guy another 20 as Ryan and Esposito showed up. "How was it with the van?"

"Uniform staying with it." Ryan replied as Russell led Manuel out of the apartment and towards the entrance. "Fell for the phony pizza delivery trick."

Russell sighed as she rolled her eyes again and walked outside.

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

Russell and Castle were in the observation room looking into the interrogation room as they waited for Ryan and Esposito to get the report from auto detail and CSU for the van they found in the parking lot of Manuel's building. Russell looked at the file in her hand. "Manuel has some low key stuff in here. Possession, intent to distribute, nothing to major."

"Let me guess ties to Leonard Fig through his brother Samuel." Castle stated as he looked at the report with a tilted head.

"Yep. Looks like he used his friend Samuel's connection to his brother to get the drugs." Russell remarked. She closed the report. "He's a low level user, how does he go to accessory to murder?"

"Probably because he was caught in Rachel's photos when Leonard and Samuel were dealing drugs." Ryan stated coming into the observation room. He handed a set of photos over to Russell. "Tech's found this on a cloud drive in Rachel's name. She uploaded it right before she got that text that lured her out the morning she was murdered."

Russell and Castle looked at the photo. It was Leonard, Samuel and Manuel talking outside a fitness center, and looked like they were dealing something to patrons. "Where is this?"

"That's on the upper east side. That gym has been linked to steroid and prescription pill distribution, but no one could ever connect it." Ryan replied.

Castle took the photo and turned it. "Until now."

Russell nodded and flipped to the next photo. "Looks like someone is not happy that they were being photographed."

Castle took the photo. It was Leonard, Samuel and Manuel looking in the direction of the camera and buyer pointing at it. Leonard had a face of man who was very angry. "I have seen that look before and it never ends well."

Ryan and Russell nodded as Esposito came on in and held up a file before passing it to Russell. "Report came back from the van. Fingerprints came back to both Samuel and Manuel. There was also a blood smear on the door frame. Matched to Rachel Maddows."

Russell nodded as she handed Ryan the folder as Castle and her left the observation room and entered interrogation. Manuel looked up. "This is bogus man. I didn't do anything."

"Really so the fingerprints and blood smear we found in the van in your parking lot you're saying you don't know how they got there?" Russell asked as she and Castle sat down in the chair in front of Manuel. "Funny because your van was spotted the morning that Rachel Maddows was murdered."

"I loaned that van out to my buddy Sammy. He was the last one that had it. I just do deliveries." Manuel claimed as he crossed his arms.

"Oh you do deliveries all right." Castle remarked as he set the pair of photos down in front of Manuel. Manuel's eyes went wide. "Rachel photographed you and the Fig brothers dealing what we are guess is steroids and prescription pain pills outside a health club."

"If Rachel turned this over to the proper authorities and they caught you doing it, you're going away for at least 10 years." Russell remarked. She opened the folder and pushed it in front of Manuel. "That right now is enough to put you away for 20 years. I have our techs scouring every piece of footage in the area and they will find you and Samuel on tape. Unless you come clean right now. Who sent the text and why kill her?"

Manuel looked at Russell and smiled. "You're bluffing."

Castle saw the smirk and decided to play out the bluff. "You and Samuel aren't too bright are you? One thing I have learned from the years working with the police here, is that they can't determine how long fingerprints have been on a particular surface. And we have report that says yours and Samuel's are the freshest prints. Down to a couple days."

Manuel looked at Castle and smiled. "You're lying?"

Russell saw what Castle was playing at and ran with it. "No he's not. Just waiting on the report to tell us how long these prints have been there, but I'm guessing they can narrow it down to within a day or two. Because older prints tend to be smudged, while newer ones are fresh. Our lab techs also have a device that can determine residual molecules in the air such as gun powder and aftershave, and also determine how long they have been there."

Manuel was shocked. "They have that now?"

"Yes they do. And if the report comes down to within a few hours of the murder, you're looking at life in prison without parole." Russell replied with a smirk on her face. She leaned forward in the chair. "Unless you can help us."

"Okay." Manuel replied as he leaned back. He sighed. "We were worried about what she saw so Leonard ordered us to take care of it. Sammy got a burner phone from the store and we got her number from the records at work and sent her a text message to meet 10 blocks from her place."

"Then what happen?" Castle asked.

Manuel sighed again and leaned forward. "When she found out she freaked and tried to run, but that is when Sammy grabbed her but she clocked him in the eye before we threw her in the van. I thought we were going to scare her, but Sammy just pulled out a gun and shot her."

"That is when you drove down the alley and dumped her and her purse in the trash." Russell remarked getting a nod from Manuel and she shook her head. "Where Samuel get the gun?"

"Some dyke bitch where he worked at. She checked it in with security and I guess he grabbed it a couple days before." Manuel remarked as he leaned forward. "We dumped the gun at another dumpster in another alley about ten minutes later."

Castle and Russell looked at each before Castle asked one final question. "What was Leonard scared of? He would have been out in about 10 years."

"It's not what he's scared of but who." Manuel replied as he sat up. He looked around. "All I know there is some new connection in everything drug related. From steroids to meth."

Russell looked at the mirror before looking back. "I'll talk to the DA and get you into witness protection if you testify. Wait here."

Castle and Russell got up and walked back into observation room where it was just Ryan at the moment. "Esposito is on the phone with narcotics right now trying to confirm this."

"We'll wait on this, but call the DA and see if they'll give him witness protection in exchange." Russell told Ryan who nodded. She then turned to Castle. "Nice bluff there, I thought you would have come up with something crazier."

"Thank you. It does help when you pay attention to TV." Castle remarked with a smile as he started towards the door.

Ryan looked up from his phone. "Yeah but Castle, our lab guys don't have anything like that. Where did you come up with that idea?"

"Crime scene Techs Las Vegas." Castle replied with a smile as he left the room with Russell smiling right behind him as she left as well.

"You bluffed on a TV show?" Ryan called out as the door closed.


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: This wraps up the case, but the bad guys that killed Leonard will make a few more apperances down the line. I hoped everyone enjoyed the story and the epilogue will be posted in a couple days. As for new enjoy the update and please review. Thank you.**

 **Chapter 7**

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

Ryan walked over to where Castle and Russell where looking through the surveillance photos of the van that TARU found. "Ok, we tracked the phone number that Manuel gave us to a couple towers on the Upper West Side."

"Makes sense. That seems to be where Leonard has a lot of his business." Castle commented as he held up the photo. "This health club is just before Spanish Harlem."

"And a lot of places to dock a boat carrying a shipment of drugs in too." Russell also added on in as she stopped looking through the security camera images. She focused in on one. "Castle take a look at this."

Castle took the photograph and studied it for a moment. "Ok that is Manuel in the passenger seat, and looks like Samuel in the driver seat."

"Yeah, and this was taken about 20 minutes before Manuel said they grabbed Rachel." Russell remarked as she began to flip through more of the photos. "Here's another one taken right before they dumped the body in that dumpster."

"Manuel is sitting up front and looks like he has blood on his shirt." Castle stated as he passed the photo over to Ryan who studied it. "So they grab Rachel…."

"Shoot her with Maria's gun and dump the body in the dumpster." Russell finished the statement as she got up and went to the board. "Only if we knew where they grabbed her."

"Found that out too." Esposito remarked as he came over. He handed over another picture to Russell. "Initial canvass didn't turn this up, but a witness came forward after she returned home from a business trip. Says she spotted the van pulling into a parking lot two blocks from our victims address and saw our victim walking into the parking lot."

"Why didn't she call for help?" Castle asked.

"Was getting into a town car for her trip." Esposito answered.

Russell still shook her head. "Still thin, unless we get a confession out of him, its basically them pointing the fingers at each other.

Ryan's phone began to ring as Esposito looked at the board. "We got enough to bring him in for questioning."

"Have to find him first though." Russell commented as Ryan came back over as he finished his call quickly.

Ryan held up his notes. "That was the lab. Samuel's fingerprints were all over Rachel's prenatal vitamins that we found. Apparently he swapped out the vitamins for some kind of mixture of different pain killers. Small enough doses of different ones, and if you haven't taken pain killers in a long time or on another medication…"

"They can cause a overdose." Castle finished the statement. He looked at the board again and then went to the pictures they had.

"Castle what are you doing?" Russell asked as she saw Castle go through the photographs.

"This. Take a look at the date on the photograph." Castle took Russell as he passed the photograph over to her.

It was the photograph of Leonard, Samuel and Manuel outside the health club. Russell saw the date. "This was taken a week before she overdosed."

"So Leonard first tries to kill Rachel by having his little brother OD' on what she thought was prenatal vitamins." Ryan stated as he took the photograph from Russell as Castle held up another photograph.

"This one was taken last week. This is the one we showed to Manuel." Castle said as he passed the photograph to Russell. "Same health club different date."

"Leonard sees that his little brother screws up and orders her taken out for good this time." Esposito commented as he now added in and picked up the still frames from the security cameras footage. "So Samuel gets a phone where he clones Maria's number, steals….."

Russell added in. "Her gun and lures Rachel out and kills her. Then he and Manuel…"

Castle finished the thought. "Set up Maria to take the fall, but Leonard needs the photos. So he goes to the apartment to search for them after his work with Narcotics but runs into Maria at the apartment."

"They get into a fight and Maria shoots him." Russell said as emotion started to come out. She cleared her throat. "Leonard knows Maria will be arrested and charged with assault and murder, but I bet he didn't bet on Maria waking up early and leaving from work."

"Great theory so how do we prove it?" Esposito asked as he sat down on Russell's desk.

Russell looked at the board. "Like we did with Manuel. We bluff it out of him. Let's have uniforms bring him in."

Castle smiles as Esposito and Ryan shake their heads.

 **Kate and Rick's Loft**

 **SoHo, New York**

Kate had sent Alexis on the mission to go to the corner bakery to place the order for the revealing party with specific instructions not to look at the sheet that she wrote the sex of the baby on. Just hand it the baker and bring the bill home. Kate was now laying back down on the couch as she continued to write things down on her notepad feeling pretty relaxed. Lanie came over. "Girlfriend, let me see your arm."

"Sure thing." Kate replied as she stuck her arm out and Lanie attached a blood pressure cuff to it. As Lanie began to take the blood pressure, Kate looked at her best friend. "You want kids?"

Lanie smiled as continued to take Kate's blood pressure. "One day when the right man comes along."

"Maybe a particular detective in my precinct by the name of Javier Esposito." Kate replied smiling as Lanie tossed her a look. "Lanie please, you two have been hooking up since he has been back."

Lanie tossed her best friend a sly smile as she finished taking the blood pressure. "You're down ten points from where you were yesterday. And yes we have been occasionally been hooking up, but we aren't serious."

"Really because everytime he comes into the office he smells like your shampoo and body wash." Kate replied laughing as Lanie took the blood pressure cuff came off, as Alexis came in. Lanie ignored the look as everyone looked at Alexis. Kate saw her come to the couch. "Everything set?"

"Yep, and the email evites are going out in an hour." Alexis replied with a smile on her face as she handed over the receipt to Kate.

"Good." Kate replied with a smile as Lanie got up from the couch and headed to the island where her bag was. "Where are you going? I thought we were going to discussing your continuing love affair with Espo."

"Girl, I think this pregnancy has mad you go loopy." Lanie replied with a smile on her face as she put the blood pressure monitor away. She headed towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow since Alexis is home."

As the door closed Alexis smiled at Kate. "Grilling her about her and Esposito hooking up?"

Kate smiled and nodded. "I think there will be a wedding between those two down the line sometime."

Everyone including Jim and Martha laughed.

 **12** **th** **Precinct**

 **Manhattan, New York**

Russell, Ryan, Esposito and Castle waited in the observation room as uniforms sat Samuel Fig, who had bruising around his eye, down with his lawyer inside interrogation room. Russell checked the folder as the rest stared into the observation room. "We are going to have to bluff like we are holding a winning hand here, otherwise its finger pointing at each other."

"Plus we need him to roll over on his brother." Esposito remarked as he continued to look into the observation room as Samuel and his lawyer conferenced together.

Castle smiled as a thought hit him. "Russell follow me in a minute."

Russell looked at Castle. "What are you doing?"

"Hopefully nothing that will get me in trouble with the wife." Castle replied with a smile on his face. He grabbed the folder from Esposito's hand and walked out of the observation room and towards interrogation. He took a breath and walked in. He acted surprised. "Oh I'm sorry, I'm looking for the Leonard Fig interrogation."

"He's not here. He's in the hospital." Samuel remarked looking at Castle. Him and his lawyer looked Castle up and down. "You look familiar to me."

Samuel's lawyer nodded in agreement. "Yes you do look familiar. Do I know you and why your interested in Leonard?"

"Alexander Rodgers. Assistant District Attorney, I just started, and my file says he was discharged." Castle remarked as he opened the folder and pretended to study it for a moment. "He's supposed to be in this room. He's signing off on a statement for us."

"A statement in regards to what?" The lawyer asked.

In the observation room, Esposito and Ryan looked at each other and then to Russell. "What is he doing?"

"Bluffing." Russell remarked with a smile. She walked out and headed towards Interrogation. She grabbed the folder and pretended to look inside before slipping the paperwork to her folder. "Ahh Mr. Rodgers, I'm so sorry you have been sent you to the wrong room. Our uniforms got it mixed up. He's in the other interrogation room with my other detectives."

Samuel looked at his lawyer in a panic, then to Russell. "What did my brother say?"

"Quiet Samuel, I'm pretty sure it's nothing." His lawyer told him as he looked at the pair at the door. "Is this going to take…."

"I'll be right with you; hold on counselor." Russell told the lawyer, then turned her attention back to Castle. "As I was saying, he's in the next room. Two doors that way."

"Thank you for your help detective, and if you need me to offer here, please remember where I am." Castle replied with a smile on his face and left the door way and headed down and entered observation.

"Sorry about that, kind of busy. So Samuel Fig, you know why you have been brought in here." Russell remarked as she laid out the folder and set the pictures down in front of the pair. "We have enough on you for attempted murder, murder, theft, drug possession, intended and distribution, fraud, and about a couple other charges pending. Your brother right now is pointing the finger at you."

"That is thin detective." The lawyer argued.

Russell set the photographs in front of the pair. "My victim was tailing your client, his friend, and his brother, and caught them in the act of selling and distributing drugs. Then your client and his friend lured my victim out and killed her with a gun stolen from my girlfriend's purse, along with you cloning her cell phone and setting her up for the fall. Right now my techs found the phone you used and text messages you sent."

"All circumsential detective." The lawyer countered.

"Really, because Leonard says it was all Samuel's idea." Russell countered argued as she laid the test report of the prenatal vitamins down in front of them. "From the poisoning of my victim, to the whole scheme, and to the murder. Leonard says it was Samuel's way of repaying for the screwed up attempt at poisoning my victim with her prenatal vitamins."

"I would love to see that statement when you are finished." The lawyer countered.

Russell took a breath and hoped Castle's bluff played out. "Well it may take a while because of the new ADA, but we don't have to give it to you right away. Heck, Leonard is getting off with 6 months and witness protection."

"He wouldn't do that to me." Samuel said shouting.

"Samuel shut up." The lawyer scolded his client.

"No you shut up Johnny." Samuel scolded back.

"Then give me something I can use Samuel." Russell demanded leaning forward into the chair. "Something that the DA can negate the deal."

"It was Leonard's, idea." Samuel commented as he leaned forward ignoring the look on his lawyer's face. "He said that Dyke knew too much and his supplier was getting really worried. So he was ordered to take care of it. I screwed up with the pills, but we were getting threats to finish the job, so Leonard told me to clone that other dyke's phone and take her gun and shoot the one that took the photos."

"Not according to Leonard." Russell stated.

"I'm telling you it was all his idea, including having NARCO bust a shipment for a competitor supplier. Gives him an alibi while I take care of her." Samuel told Russell. He took a breath. "We lured her to a parking lot, grabbed her and tried to convince her otherwise, but I knew she would still cause trouble so I shot her."

"And then you dumped her body like garbage." Russell commented as she stood up and leaned forward. "There isn't going to be any deal for you or your brother. You're both going down, unless you give me something. Where are the drugs coming from?"

"I don't know, only Leonard has that, and my brother is tough, but he is scare of these people." Samuel stated.

"Detective in light of my clients comments, I would like to speak to the District Attorney." The lawyer argued.

"Sit tight. We'll get him for you, but it may be a while. It's his golf day." Russell answered as she opened the door and motioned the officers inside. "Hook him up and take him to central booking until we get an ADA down there."

"What about….?" Samuel started to say as the uniform shut the door.

Russell walked into the observation room and looked at her team. She finally let out a breath. "I didn't think that would work."

"You're not worried about it being tossed out?" Ryan asked.

Russell shook her head. "Castle never really asked any questions, just portrayed himself as a lawyer. He knows 90 percent of the people up there, and it probably won't get tossed. Besides he didn't ask questions, just laid the ground work for me."

"It worked in Hollywood with Kate, just tried a different variety here." Castle replied with a smile on his face.

Russell returned the smile and looked to Esposito. "Where are we Leonard?"

"He checked himself out of the hospital, but he disappeared a couple hours ago." Esposito remarked.

Ryan's phone rang and he answered it. His face sank. "He just turned up."

 **Boat Basin**

 **Upper East Side, New York**

The divers pulled the body of Leonard Fig out of the water and onto the gurney where Pearlmutter was waiting. The team watched all this from the dock. Russell walked up. "What do you have doctor?"

"COD was 45 caliber to the back of the head. He was dead when he hit the water." Pearlmutter remarked as he looked at the body. "No defensive wounds, but it looks like he has some wood splinters in his pants probably from the dock."

Castle looked closely at the splinters. "That's not from this type of wood. I recognize it. It's from a high end yacht deck. It's been waxed and polished for a shine."

"So his supplier shoots Leonard, and tosses him into the basin." Ryan remarked as he looked around. He pointed at the security camera right pointed right where they are at. "There's a security camera right there so it would be captured."

"With its lens blacked out dog." Esposito commented as he came over. He noticed the Camera too. He looked around. "Whoever did this could be long gone by now."

"And in international waters." Russell commented as she looked about. "I'll write up the report, and let's get Samuel and Manuel into protective isolation."

Ryan and Esposito nodded as they moved off towards the entrance of the boat dock. Castle came over and stood next to Russell. "You couldn't have known this was going to happen."

"I could have stopped it, but my emotions clouded my judgement." Russell remarked as she turned and started back up towards the entrance. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah." Castle commented.

"When Alexis was kidnapped how…." Russell started to ask.

"Kate left me in a room with the man that helped with it, and I did what I did to find out what happen to her." Castle remarked as they continued to walk up the dock. He felt her stares. "I'm not proud of it, but for my love ones, I would do anything for them."

Russell nodded her understanding. "Including the captain?"

"I would lay my life down for her so she could live." Castle remarked as they walked off the dock and towards their patrol car. "So what's Maria going to do?"

"Look for a new job I suppose. Her old one stated despite her being cleared, the PR nightmare is one they could do without." Russell commented as they opened the doors and climbed in. "But I don't know who hire her because this would show up on a background check."

"Huh." Castle replied as they pulled away from the boat basin. He pulled out his phone and sent a text.

 **Kate and Rick's Loft**

 **SoHo, New York**

Rick walked into the loft to see his wife, and daughter sitting on the couch, while Martha and Jim were in the kitchen finishing preparations for dinner. Kate looked up and smiled at him. "Hey how did it go today?"

"Nothing to exciting today. Killers are caught, and the man behind it all ends up in the boat basin with the people who gave him the goods." Castle commented as he gave Kate a kiss and walked towards the island.

"What was that?" Kate asked looking over the sofa at Rick.

"Now Kate you know what the doctor said." Martha said to her daughter in law with a smile.

"I have to agree Kate. Now isn't the time." Jim also stated.

Castle took a breath and looked at his mother and father in law then to Kate. "One thing from this case has taught me is not handle her like she is an invalid. I don't think talking about it won't drive up her pressure."

Kate smiled as Castle came towards the couch as Martha and Jim looked on in both surprise and shock. Castle sat down in the spot vacated by Alexis. "That is why I asked Russell to type you up a case summary for me to print out here when she emails it to me."

Kate smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Castle replied giving her a kiss. He then saw the notepad on the table. "Baby gender revealing party. When are we doing this?"

"Next weekend. I figured it be a fun time, and planning it kept me busy and stress free." Kate replied with a smile as she took the notepad. She snuggled into her husband. "Everything is already down, and Alexis was a big part of that."

"Oh it's nothing Kate, except the bakery, and email invites, plus you ordered the decorations." Alexis replied with a smile as she gave her father a hug. "Glad you are home."

"Me too." Castle answered.

After dinner, as Kate and Rick got ready for bed, he saw Kate come from the bathroom and he smiled at her. "Despite bedrest you are absolutely glowing."

"You're just saying that, but thank you." Kate replied with a smile on her face. She gave him a kiss and curled up next to him. She saw the look on his face. "What you thinking about?"

"Well when the baby comes I know I said I take the step back from the cases so you don't have too." Castle answered. He saw Kate looking at him so he smiled. "I'm not changing my mind, but I am thinking of bringing on somebody."

"A nanny?" Kate asked.

Castle shook his head. "No, somebody to help with Paula and Gina and the book tours and promotion stuff for the books."

Kate sat up a bit still confused. "You mean somebody to work with Paula and Gina?"

"Kind of but deal with them and work for me." Castle replied as he looked at Kate. He gave her a light kiss. "Since I would be busy with the baby and writing I figured Maria be a good choice since she has done this thing before."

Kate was shocked. "At a major firm making six figures a year babe."

"Oh I match her salary, since the books are doing really well." Castle replied sitting up now. He looked at his wife. "And she lost her job because of the case, and I think doing what I am going to ask her to do will benefit her in the long run."

"By showing the world, that she isn't a violent person and you trust her enough to be around your family." Kate said curling back into Castle who nodded. She smiled. "That is why I love you. You have a big heart."

"Thank you. I love you too." Castle replied with a smile on his face. He felt Kate get on top of him. He looked in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"I think I found another way to relax and drop my blood pressure." Kate said smiling and kissed him deep with his arms going around her.

 **Jennifer and Maria's Apartment**

 **Chelsea, New York**

Russell walked into the apartment. She had just finished up with the paperwork and sent the case summary to Castle for Kate to look at. She saw Maria lighting candles and pouring wine. "Hey you, what are you doing?"

"We are celebrating." Maria replied as she went to the kitchen and brought out the plates of food. She kissed Russell and led her to the table. "The DA dropped the charges against me, we made up and I got news."

"What's that?" Russell asked as she wrapped her arms around Maria and looked at the table.

"I got a new job." Maria replied smiling as turned and faced her girlfriend. She saw the look of shock on her face. "What?"

"Who did you get the job with already?" Russell asked.

"Richard Castle. He needs someone to help with the promotional and tour stuff with his books since Kate is pregnant and he will be busy with the baby too once it's born." Maria told her as she went back to the kitchen and brought out the salad. "Matches my salary, and his agent Paula Haas is emailing me the contract in the morning."

"What about his work at the precinct?" Russell asked happy for her girlfriend, but shocked at the news.

"Probably be stepping back because of the baby." Maria remarked. She saw the look. "He didn't tell you."

"No he didn't, but he probably was going to tell us in the next few weeks." Russell commented as the feeling of sadness hit her. She was going to lose a friend who had been there since she started. She shook off the thought. "This looks great. I'm sorry again."

"I am too, but let's not dwell on it." Maria commented as she started towards the kitchen but Russell grabbed her wrist. "What?"

Russell looked into her girlfriends eyes and kissed her. Once the kiss broke, she got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

"Baby are you sure about this?" Maria asked in shock.

"Yes I am, and with everything that has happen, I don't want to let you go no matter what." Russell remarked. She took a breath and looked again and asked more formally this time. "Maria Salvatore will you marry me?"

Maria's eyes tear up and she nodded. "Yes I will."

Russell smiled and got up and kissed her hard as they both ignored the beautiful Italian dinner on the table.


	9. Epilogue

**A/N: This wraps up this case, and I wasn't quite sure what to put for the titles of the wedding ceremony. So if someone knows of something different please PM me and let me know so I can make the changes so I can be right on this. Anyway I hope everyone enjoyed this story. Enjoy reading the epilogue and keep your eyes open for the next one which will be started soon. The next one includes people from kate's past making a apperance. But you'll have to wait and find out. So enjoy and review. Thank you.**

 **Epilogue**

 **Dr. Snyder's Office**

 **Midtown**

Kate and Rick were waiting for Dr. Snyder to come in and give them the results of the blood pressure test he had done on Kate. They were both nervous about the results. Kate looked over to Castle. "I'm sure it will be fine babe, I know it will."

"I know it will. I am just worried that's all." Castle replied with a smile towards his beautiful and glowing wife. "Hasn't been extactly easy for me you know these past few days."

Kate smiled and reached for his hand. "I know it hasn't."

They let go as the door opened and in walked Doctor Snyder who had Kate's folder in his hand. He set it down and smiled at the pair. "Bed rest worked Kate. You are exactly where you should be, in fact you are about 10 points lower. What did you do?"

Kate looked at Castle, smiling big then looked back to Doctor Snyder. "Just planned a baby gender revealing party, stayed on bed rest and enjoyed my husband's company."

Dr. Snyder looked at Kate for a moment inquisitively before shrugging his shoulders. "Okay then. I am clearing you to return back to work next week, with the understanding that if you try and stay stress free as much as you can. I am going to be checking your pressure every week till delivery. Can I count on you trying to stay stress free as much as you can?"

"Yes you can doc. If I feel myself get too stressed out at work, I'll go home or some place to decompress." Kate assured him. She felt Rick place a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not going through that again."

"Good then." Dr. Snyder answered. He got up and shook their hands. He washed his hands and then opened the door. "Schedule a appointment before you leave and I'll see you next week."

As the door closed, Kate was helped up by Castle. She smiled at him. "See I told you everything be alright."

Castle smiled and hooked her arm through his. "I never had my doubts."

Kate laughed in a dubious fashion. "Keep telling yourself that."

Before Castle could answer, their phones went off and they looked at them. "It's from Maria and Russell. They are asking us and the boys, Alexis, Martha, and Lanie to meet them at the courthouse."

"I thought the charges were drop?" Castle asked.

"They were." Kate answered as they left the room and stopped by the front desk to make the appointment.

 **New York County Courthouse**

 **Manhattan, New York**

Kate and Castle walked towards the group as they were waiting for them to arrive near a door down a hallway. When Kate replied to the message that they were on the way, Russell sent the floor and office number to Kate, and sure enough there was everyone waiting on them. They were all just as surprised to standing there. Kate held up her hands. "What's going on?"

"Don't know. All we know is that Russell met us here and told us to wait for her to come and get us." Lanie commented as everyone nodded.

Castle looked around. "This isn't the floor where courtrooms are. I wonder if…."

As if on cue, the door opened and out walked Russell in a stunning emerald green dress that fell to her mid thighs, with her hair combed to one side with part of her long blonde hair falling over part of her face. She saw everyone there. "Thanks for coming everyone. I know everyone is curious, so if you can follow me."

Everyone was stunned as they began to follow Russell down the hallway towards a room at the end of the hall, when Castle realized where they were. "Oh my god you and Maria are getting…"

"Married." Kate finished stating her husband's statement.

That is when everyone was in shock as they arrived at the room. Everyone started talking at once, but Russell held up her hand. "Yes we are getting married. Castle can you stand up next to me, and Captain can you stand next to Maria too, if you can?"

"We be honored too." Kate replied with smiles on her face, along with Castle and everyone else.

Russell enters the door and walks in leading everybody to the seats in the room as Castle take his place next to Russell, as Kate stands on the opposite side of the aisle. Seated in the front row of the bride side was Russell's mother since they looked so much alike. Everyone had heard the stories of how Maria's family disowned her and she had no one except friends and Russell's mother and brother. So as the music began, John Russell escorted Maria down the aisle towards his sister. Maria was elegantly dress in a long white dress and flowers in hand. As they reached the end, John gave Maria a kiss on the cheek, along with sister before joining his mom in the seats.

The justice of the peace motioned everyone except for wedding party to sit down. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join witness as these two people are joined in holy matrimony. If there is cause here in which these two shall not be wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace?"

No one of course spoke. So the justice looked to Russell. "Both of the respected members wrote their own vows. Jennifer?"

Jennifer took a breath. "Maria, before I knew you, I felt lost, and confused about my place in the world. But that changed when I met you, and you showed me that the world, while it can be a big and confusing place, if you have someone there willing to help guide you, and keep you from stumbling, then never let that person go. So Maria Salvatore, I give myself fully to you now and for the rest of our lives."

Russell turned pointed to the stand where the ring was located. Castle handed it to her and she put it on Maria's finger. The justice smiled and nodded and turned to Maria. "Maria?"

Maria took a breath. "Jennifer, when I met you, I didn't know what to make of you to begin with. But as we continued to get to know you, I saw a passion in you not only for who you are, but the passion to find the justice for those that often have no voice. You even use that passion to find justice for those like us that can be mistreated, and stand up for the beliefs that you follow with your heart, and I love you every day because it is you and that is the person I fell in love with. So Jennifer Russell, I give myself fully to you now and for the rest of our lives."

Maria turned as Kate found the ring and handed to Maria who put on Jennifer's finger. The justice nodded and took a breath himself. "Now by the power of the state of New York, the county and city, I know pronounce wife and wife. You may kiss the bride, which is Maria in this case."

Everyone chuckled as Russell and Jennifer shared a kiss before hooking their arms through each other and starting down the aisle together, with their friends, and Russell's mom and brother behind them. Castle started down but looked back and saw Kate standing there. He came back up. "What's wrong Kate?"

Kate smiled and shook her head. "Nothing. Just reminds me of another day, in which I was happy again too."

Castle smiled and gave his wife a kiss on the lips. "That day you made me the happiest man alive."

"And you made me the happiest woman alive." Kate answered with a smile. They linked arms and walked down the aisle together. "Wonder where the reception will be?"

"OLD HAUNT EVERYONE, AND DRINKS ARE ON THE HOUSE." Castle called out with everyone cheering as Kate laughed as they followed the group out as their friends started a new chapter in their lives.


End file.
